


Swords and Spells: Crossed Roads

by Katastrophe94



Series: Night of No Stars [1]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Persona 4
Genre: Action/Adventure, Established Relationship via the parallel I.T, F/F, F/M, Fantasy, I'm Serious, M/M, Magic, Parallel Universes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-23
Updated: 2016-06-24
Packaged: 2018-03-19 04:48:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 33
Words: 207,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3596934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katastrophe94/pseuds/Katastrophe94
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Last night, Yu Narukami remembered getting ready for bed on his last day of Golden Week. When he wakes up, he's stranded in a strange cave with not a clue as to how he got there. And he's not the only one. Soon, it becomes apparent that home is very far away, and without his personas to help, Yu has to rely on his own wits and skill to help his friends survive the hostile new world they've found themselves in. </p><p>But they do find help in unexpectedly familiar faces. This world is not without it's own protectors, after all . . .</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In Darkness

**Author's Note:**

> This is a thing that has been existing in the back of my folders for over a year now, and I decided it was finally time to set it free. Honestly, I'd been nervous posting this, considering the idea, but hey, nothing ventured nothing gained, right? It's all brushed up and polished and ready to go! 
> 
> Also, the parallel I.T have somewhat unique personalities, as befitting the culture they've grown up in and the lives they've lead. They aren't carbon-copies of the usual I.T.
> 
> Enjoy!

Consciousness returned slowly to Yu Narukami. At first, everything felt numb, save for the heavy weight on his chest that made it a little difficult to breathe. His ears felt like they had been stuffed with cotton, and his mouth felt dry and parched. He opened his mouth and let out a dry cough that didn't sound like his own and only irritated his throat further. All around him he could hear noise, a noise that sounded almost rhythmic in its constancy, but it was muted and dull, and he couldn't tell what it was.

  
As Yu lay there in silence, slowly, sluggishly, he felt some life begin to return to his limbs. A cold, damp breeze he hadn't felt before made itself known, the chill nipping at his skin through the flimsy fabric of his clothes. But the cold helped lift the hazy fog that had settled on his mind, the lethargy in his body lifting with it. And as clarity returned, he couldn't help but start asking; What had happened? Where was he? How did he get here? But no matter how hard he strained his mind, he simply could not remember. The last memory he could recall clearly was him getting ready for bed at his uncle's house . . . at Golden Week's end . . .

  
_Plink. Plink. Plink._

  
The muffled noises around him became clearer and more distinct, and he realized, fuzzily, that it sounded like droplets of water dripping into pools. The steady and constant sound helped him find a foothold in reality, rousing him to proper wakefulness. It . . . was also strangely comforting, but that was beside the point. Point was, he couldn't lie there forever. He had to move, to figure out where he was. So, with some effort, he forced his eyes open and examined his surroundings. His vision blurred for a moment, shapes and colors nothing more than indistinct smudges until everything faded into place. The thing Yu noticed right away was that it was very dim, the only light being a pale white glow that originated from he didn't know where. The next thing he noticed was that he seemed to be in some sort of cave, the rocky ceiling full of uneven crags and dips. And the last thing he noticed was that the weight on his chest was actually a person.

  
He stiffened instinctively, blinking at the body in confusion. Who was this? He could only see the back of the person's head, not enough to go on in terms of identification. The person napping on his chest suddenly shifted in their sleep, and the weak light bounced off of something around the person's neck. From this (rather close) distance, Yu could faintly make out the shadowy, yet familiar shape of a pair of headphones. Headphones . . .

 

Yosuke!

  
Yu sat up with a start, only to cringe and bring a hand to his head when a bout of dizziness fuzzed his vision. It cleared quickly, though, and once it did he wasted no time in checking on his friend. Yosuke hadn't stirred once, not even when Yu's abrupt jolt displaced his head from Yu's chest to his lap, where he continued to sleep undisturbed. The back of his neck was resting right on Yu's thigh now, and if the situation had been different, Yu might have felt just a bit embarrassed. But right now wasn't the time.

  
Placing a hand on his shoulder, Yu began to gently shake him awake, whispering, "Yosuke? Yosuke, wake up!

"Ugh . . ." Yosuke's eyelids fluttered, letting an incoherent groan as his consciousness returned.

"Yosuke!" Yu gave another urging shake, further rousing Yosuke from his half-awake state.

  
"Wha . . ." Yosuke mumbled. His eyes blearily focused on Yu's face and said "Partner . . . is that you?"

  
Yu let out a sigh of relief, "Yeah, it's me. I'm glad to see you're awake."

  
"What are you doin' in my house?" Yosuke asked groggily. Then he frowned, "And why is it so damn dark?"

  
Yu winced. Awake, but not awake enough to notice his surroundings it seemed. So, slowly, he said, "Uh, Yosuke, we're not . . . we're not in your house. In fact, I'm pretty sure we're nowhere near your house."

  
Yosuke sat up, cringing at the protest of his muscles before asking, "Huh? What do ya mean we're not at my house? If we're not there, then where . . ."

  
Yosuke's voice trailed off as his eyes, now accustomed to the dimness, strayed to his surroundings. Yu also turned to face the cave, and for the first time actually looked at what was there.

  
Though it was dim, he could tell that it was a fairly large cavern, and the only thing Yu could hear was the sound of steadily dripping water. Stalactites of varying size covered the ceiling while bulky stalagmites rose up from the rocky floor, each one damp and coated in bright, fuzzy spots of green lichen. A few had even conjoined together, forming rocky columns that tapered at their centers, thin streams of water running down their sides. Small and incredibly shallow pools of water dotted the spaces between, each one of varying size, but never any larger than a sewer lid. One such pool was actually quite close to him, and peering in, Yu could see that a soft carpet of lichen grew along the bowl-shaped groove just below the water's impeccably smooth surface.

  
_Plink._

  
The water's surface became distorted and uneven as a small droplet landed into the pool, small ripples rolling along the top. Yu blinked and drew back, returning his attention to the cave. As far as caves went, this one seemed fairly normal. But something still seemed off about it, aside from the obvious fact that he wasn't even supposed to be in it. What was it?

  
"D-dude, where are we?!" Yosuke stuttering voice brought him back to reality. Right. He'd worry about it later. Right now, he and Yosuke needed to find a way out of here.

  
"I don't know. But we have to try and remain calm," Yu said coolly, looking at his panicking friend.

  
Yosuke glanced at Yu and saw his friend's collected composure, which in turn helped him relax. With a quick and steadying breath, he said, "Yeah, you're right. Okay."

  
Yosuke hauled himself to his feet and surveyed their surroundings again, this time much more critically than before. Yu followed his lead and stood up with him, taking some time to brush off the rocky grit that stuck to his clothes.

  
"So, we're in a cave," Yosuke stated, crossing his arms.

 

"Seems like," Yu replied, running a hand over the sleeves of his shirt and choosing not to poke fun at the obviousness of that statement.

  
"And neither of us have any clue how we got here. Well, I know I don't, anyway. Do you?" Yosuke's question was hopeful, but Yu was already shaking his head, "No, I don't know how we got here anymore than you do."

  
Yosuke's face fell, "Damn."

  
Yosuke suddenly went very quiet, the sort of quiet that Yu had come to know meant he had realized something. Perhaps even something that could potentially help them out. But Yosuke's silence persisted and he made no attempt at talking like he normally would, which was, in a word, unusual.

  
Yu quirked a puzzled eyebrow at him, asking, "Yosuke?"

  
"Um, dude, since this isn't my house . . ." Yosuke trailed off for a moment, seeming to wrestle with himself on what to say before awkwardly continuing, "That soft thing I was laying on? That wasn't my pillow, was it?"

  
Oh. That.

  
Yu decided it was best to go for stoic honesty, despite the slight burning he felt on his cheeks, "No, that was my leg."

  
Yosuke seemed to grimace, though Yu couldn't quite tell in this light, and mumbled, "I, uh, figured."

  
Silence fell between them, and Yu wasn't quite sure how to break it without feeling even more uncomfortable than he already was. And in the awkward solidarity of the moment, he had no doubt that Yosuke was feeling the exact same way. He also couldn't help feeling grateful for the dim light, since it did an admirable job of hiding the red that was no doubt coloring his face.

  
"So, do you want to start walking?" Yosuke asked hastily.

  
"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," Yu said just as quickly, eager to start moving and break the awkward hush that was hanging over them.

  
They started moving, but it proved difficult to navigate between the pools and the stalagmites. It was a task made harder by the fact that the two of them were currently lacking shoes, an unfortunate circumstance they both attributed to the fact that they'd both been home when . . . whatever had brought them here occurred. Yu grimaced as he walked on the damp rock, with patches of slick water being unavoidable in some places, and it wasn't long before his socks were soaked, making an unpleasant squish with every footfall. The cold air felt positively freezing on his feet, so much so that he eventually took his socks off in fear of his toes falling off.

  
Unfortunately, no matter how far they walked, everything from every angle looked the same, and soon he and Yosuke were walking around hopelessly lost without any idea where they had originally started.

  
"Man, how big is this damn cave? I swear, we've passed this rock at least three times now!" Yosuke complained, pointing a hand at said rock and glaring at it in frustration.

  
"You can tell?" Yu asked, sounding genuinely mystified.

  
"Ugh, I wish!" Yosuke growled, "Everything all looks the same in this stupid place!"

  
With an aggravated snarl, Yosuke turned and kicked the nearest rock he could find. There was a beat of silence, then-

  
"OW! ow, ow ow _ow_ _ow!_ " Yosuke yelped, hopping up and down on his uninjured foot as he nursed the other one with his hands.

  
If this were a cartoon, Yu was pretty sure that there would have been a particularly large sweat drop on his head right now, ". . . you okay?"

  
"What was the pause for?" Yosuke asked through gritted teeth, sounding miffed and in pain as he continued to rub his sore foot.

  
"Sorry," Yu said noncommittally, keeping his face straight.

  
Yosuke gave him a look before sighing, "Nevermind. Anyway, I think my foot's okay. It hurts, but I'm pretty sure it's not broken."

  
Despite his confident words, Yosuke was still hesitant when he placed his foot back on the ground, carefully applying weight to it and wincing as he did so. Still, he gave Yu a victorious smile and said, "See? No big."

  
"Next time, though, you probably shouldn't kick the rock," Yu replied.

  
Yosuke went red and dropped his head to his chest in embarrassment, "Yeah, that was pretty dumb."

  
"It came from over here!"

  
Yu's shoulders stiffened in alarm when a voice echoed from further in the cave, and judging from the way Yosuke had jumped, he too had heard it.

  
"Dude, did you hear that?" Yosuke's voice had dropped to a hush, worry and a touch of fear evident in his tone.

  
Yu nodded, whispering, "Yeah, and it's coming this way."

  
"Hey, is anyone there?" the voice came again, this time significantly closer.

  
"Shit, hide!" Yosuke whispered frantically.

  
Both of them quickly ducked behind one of the stalagmites just as two shadowy figures emerged from around another. It was so damn dark though that Yu was unable to see anything about them clearly. Taking a calming breath, he pressed his back against the cool, uneven surface of stone behind him, thinking. He supposed he and Yosuke could wait until they left, but there was always the chance that they could run into them again. But there was no telling what would happen if they confronted them. As far as weapons went, all they had were their fists, and they had no armor to even speak of. Perhaps if they jumped them . . .

  
Unfortunately, the unknown voice had other plans, "Hey, I saw you over there! Come out where I can see ya!"

  
Yu blinked. Up close, where the distorting echo of the cave wasn't as prominent, the voice actually sounded familiar. Very familiar. In fact . . .

  
"Hang on a sec," Yosuke said, he too recognizing the familiarity and peering out from behind the rock in realization, "Chie?"

  
A moment of stunned silence followed, then the voice exclaimed, "Yosuke?! What are you doing here?"

  
"I could ask you the same thing?" Yosuke said, walking out from behind the rock. Yu followed suit, smiling when he caught sight of the familiar faces of both Chie and Yukiko. Yukiko stuck out in the forest of stone right away, as she was wearing the pink service kimono he'd seen her wear around the inn, shoes and all. Working late, perhaps? Chie was dressed much less formally, but she, like Yosuke and himself, didn't have shoes either. They didn't look like they were hurt, and judging from the expressions on their faces, he felt it safe to assume that they were just as relieved to see Yosuke and himself as he was to see them.

  
Chie was quick to jog forward, "You're here too, Narukami-kun?"

  
"Yeah," Yu said in affirmation.

  
"Well, I can't say I'm unhappy with that," Chie said amicably, smiling.

  
"It's good to see that you're okay," Yukiko said, coming to stand beside Chie.

  
"I'm glad to see that you're okay too," Yu replied, sincerity in his voice. And he was glad to see that they were okay. But at the same time, he couldn't help but feel uneasy. What did this all mean? Why were they here?  
Unfortunately, he knew that the answers he wanted wouldn't make themselves known so easily.

  
"Hey, what am I, chopped liver?" Yosuke asked, sounding offended but smiling all the same.

  
"Hey, was that a crack at me?" Chie demanded.

  
Yosuke shot her a bemused and somewhat annoyed glance, "You know, just because someone's talking about meat doesn't mean it's automatically a crack at you."

 

"Oh. Well good," Chie muttered, looking slightly embarrassed.

  
"Oh, I'm sorry Yosuke," Yukiko said apologetically, "I'm happy to see you're okay, too."

  
"Same here," Yosuke said, "Anyway, how'd you guys get here?"

  
"We have no idea! Me and Yukiko just, woke up in here!" Chie explained. Well, as much of an explanation as it could be.

  
"So same deal then," Yosuke said, folding his arms over his chest in contemplation.

  
"Same deal? So this happened to you too?" Chie asked.

  
Yu nodded, "Yeah. We've been trying to find a way out, but we keep getting turned around."

  
"Yeah, that's happened to us a lot too," Yukiko admitted, "It's kinda creepy actually."

  
"Which part? Waking up here or getting lost?" Yosuke asked. It was clearly done rhetorically, but Yukiko answered regardless.

  
And it was quite an interesting answer, "Well, it's creepy how much it feels like that time I was kidnapped and thrown into the T.V."

  
A stupefied silence settled over all of them. That couldn't be right, could it? They couldn't possibly be . . .

  
"We're not . . ." Yosuke started after a moment, giving voice to Yu's own thoughts, "In the T.V world, are we?"

  
"Now that you mention it, it does sort of fit that kidnapping criteria, doesn't it," Chie stated, looking uneasy. A visible shudder went through her body, "But that couldn't be right, though! We took care of Adachi and Namatame's stopped his whole 'saving people' thing!"

  
"Well, maybe it could have something to do with the guy behind the whole arena incident. We still haven't found him yet," Yosuke reasoned.

  
"You're right about that, but how could he have gotten us all at the same time?" Yukiko asked, placing a finger against her chin in thought.

  
"Ugh, damn it! There's just too little to go on right now," Yosuke said, growing irritated.

  
Yu remained silent. Something had felt off about this place, that much was true. But at the same time, it didn't feel like the T.V. There was one way to be sure. Closing his eyes, he cleared his mind and reached into the depths of his subconsciousness to search for the entity that was his persona.

  
Nothing. Izanagi-no-Okami was there, though it was more of an instinctive feeling than anything substantial. And even so, he was not so close to the surface that Yu would able to summon him as he would in the T.V world.

"I don't think this is the T.V world," Yu said calmly, reopening his eyes.

  
When he was met with the questioning stares of his friends, he clarified further, "Think about it. If this was the T.V world, wouldn't we be able to use our personas?"

  
Understanding flickered across Yosuke's face, "You know, now that you mention it, I haven't been able to contact Susano-o at all. What about you two?"

  
Chie held up a hand and made a display of curling and uncurling her fingers before pursing her lips, "Nope, nothin'."

  
"I can't feel Sumeo either," Yukiko replied, looking morose and a little concerned.

  
"And I take it you can't summon yours either, Partner," Yosuke questioned, to which Yu solemnly shook his head, "No, I can't. It's why I don't think we're in the T.V."

  
"That does make sense, but that still doesn't tell us where we are. Hell, it just makes everything even more confusing," Chie said, placing her hands on her hips.

  
Yosuke stepped up, "I wouldn't throw out the T.V world just yet either. Remember how with Labrys, her shadow was able to put rules on our battles while we were in her dungeon? It could be something like that here."

  
"Yeah, okay, that makes sense too, but what's powerful enough to be able to get rid of our personas?" Chie asked.

  
"I really have no idea," Yosuke said before huffing, "Man, the one time I actually want Ted here, and he's not."

  
"Teddie? What about Teddie?" Chie asked.

  
"He'd be able to tell us for sure if this was the T.V world or not," Yosuke explained, "Except he's not here."

  
Yu stood up just a little straighter when a thought hit him, and the words came out before he could stop them, "But . . . what if he is?"

  
"Huh?" Yosuke asked, "What are you talking about, Yu?"

  
Yu continued, knowing he couldn't stop explaining now, "Well, look who's here right now. All of us were involved in the murder case, and we know about the T.V world and personas. I don't think it's an accident that we woke up here."

  
"So what you're saying is," Yosuke said slowly, "Is that it's not just us who might be here, but everyone?"

  
"Exactly," Yu said.

  
"But then, where are they?" Yukiko asked, concern setting in on her face, "And how do we find them?"

  
"AAAAAIIIEEEEEE!!"

  
A sudden, piercing shriek echoed from further within the cave, making them all jump and look around wildly.

  
"W-what was that?!" Chie exclaimed, dropping into a defensive stance.

  
"I-I have no idea!" Yosuke shouted, looking alarmed.

  
Yukiko shimmied a little closer to Chie, shoulders tense, "It sounded close to us."

  
Yu looked to where the sound had come from, eyes and ears alert. The scream had definitely been loud, but at the same time, it hadn't sounded monstrous or inhuman. In fact, it sounded more like a person in distress.

  
More noises echoed from where the scream had come from, sounding an awful lot like an angry rant or an argument. Yu listened closely, trying to sort away the echoing of the stony cavern and the actual words being spoken. But it was still too far away to tell.

  
"Let's head towards it," Yu said.

  
"Um, you sure about that, dude?" Yosuke asked, "Not that I don't trust you or anything, but we're kind of weaponless right now."

  
"I'm sure," Yu said, trusting his instincts, "Call it a gut feeling."

  
"Well, no point standing around here," Chie said, slamming a fist into her palm, "I say we do it! Maybe we can even find some answers."

  
"I trust you, Narukami-kun, but let's go slowly, okay? Just in case," Yukiko said.

  
They set out, keeping their pace slow and sneaky as they made their way over to the source of the noise. Yu hoped against hope that this was the right idea, otherwise he could be leading them all to their deaths. He gritted his teeth. He couldn't think like that here. So long as they took it slow and steady, they would be fine.

  
The voices grew louder and more distinct, though the cave distorted them in such a way it made it difficult to figure out who was speaking.

  
"Man, how the hell are we gonna get out of this place?" one demanded, sounding livid.

  
"Well, yelling like that isn't going to help," another said, sounding irritated.

  
Someone sneezed loudly. Perhaps they were sick?

  
"Everyone, please calm down. Our circumstances are strange, yes, but to lose our composure could prove dangerous," A third voice chimed in reasonably, in a way that was not unfamiliar to his ears.

  
"Hey, that sort of sounds like . . ." Yosuke started, though he sounded hesitant to believe it.

  
"You don't think it could be . . ." Chie followed up, sounding unsure.

  
Yu frowned. If only this damn cave wasn't messing with his hearing so much.

  
"Hey, Naoto-chan, you don't happen to have a spare jacket do you?"

  
Everyone instantly stood up a little straighter when they heard those words, and Yu felt hope surge in his chest.

  
"Did you hear-!" Yukiko started, elation and hope filling her face.

  
"Yeah, I did! Chie shouted, throwing caution to the wind.

  
"Alright!" Yosuke said. Cupping his hands around his mouth, he took a deep breath and shouted, "HEY, Naoto, Rise, Kanji, that you?!"

  
His voice traveled far, bouncing off the cave again and again before slowly fading into silence. And a response came quickly, "Yosuke-senpai? That you?"

  
"Yeah! Yu, Chie, and Yukiko are with me too!" he shouted back, "Hold a sec, we're almost there!"

  
They all took off, jogging over the slick ground as they hurried toward the voices, and hopefully there friends. They didn't have to run far.

  
From up ahead, four shapes came hurrying around a large rock, all panting and running and familiar.

  
"Hey, you guys!" Chie shouted, waving her hands above her head in exultation.

  
"There they are!" Rise shouted joyfully.

  
"Thank goodness they're okay!" Yukiko said breathlessly, voice happy.

  
When they finally got to the others, Rise was quick to throw her arms around him and squeeze tightly, crying, "SENPAI!"

  
"Oof!" he grunted, placing a hand on her back to steady her, "Hey Rise. I'm happy to see you too."

  
Something very cold and wet suddenly glued itself to his side, and Yu involuntarily jumped away from whatever it was. It didn't let go, though, and it quickly became apparent why.

  
"Senseiiiiii!" the shivering lump next to him whined, and Yu lifted an eyebrow in surprise, "Teddie?"

  
The blond-haired boy backed up, wrapping his skinny arms around his shaking frame, teeth chattering as he said, "Y-y-yep! I-it's m-me!"

  
Yu gave him a thorough once over, bemusement quickly setting in, "Why are you all wet?"

  
Not just wet. Completely drenched would be more accurate.

  
"Teddie . . . kind of slipped near one of the pools," Rise explained, casting Teddie a pitying glance, and Yu couldn't help but cringe. That water by itself was chilly, but in the cold air of the cave, it must have been absolutely freezing. Didn't explain how Teddie had gotten himself so thoroughly soaked, though. The pools weren't even that deep . . .

  
Kanji huffed, but there was a note of concern underneath the gruffness, "I told the idiot to watch where he was goin'."

  
Yosuke groaned, "Really Ted?"

  
"S-s-s-s-sorry," Teddie sniffed, looking absolutely miserable. Not that Yu could blame him. Unfortunately, he didn't have a jacket or anything of the sort to lend him. He'd left his on the futon back home.

  
"Christ," Yosuke muttered, walking forward and twisting his shoulders so he could pull the jacket he was wearing off. He tossed it over the soaked boy's head before folding his arms and saying, "Wear that. It's better than nothing, at least."

  
Wasting no time, Teddie pulled the jacket tight around his shoulders and sighed in relief, giving Yosuke a look filled with honest gratitude, "T-thank you, Yosuke."

  
Yosuke rubbed the back of his head, looking slightly embarrassed as he said, "Yeah, yeah, just don't lose it, okay?"

  
"So it seems we're all here in this place," Naoto said, face a mask of perfect composure. Everyone sobered up when she spoke, the gravity of the situation sinking in as they crowded around each other.

  
"Yeah, guess we are," Yosuke responded.

  
"Okay, but why are we all here?" Chie asked, placing her hands on her hips.

  
"I've tried coming up with a few theories, but unfortunately there's just too little information to go on," Naoto explained, looking morose.

 

"We came up with some too," Yukiko said, "Including possibly the T.V world, but we couldn't be sure."

  
Naoto shook her head, "I already came up with that possibility, but Teddie says that that is not the case."

 

"Uh-huh," Teddie sniffed, "This place doesn't feel like home at all! Just cold and wet and most certainly _not_ good for my fur!"

 

"You don't even _have_ your fur," Yosuke pointed out sharply, arms crossed.

 

"Hmph, I wouldn't expect you to understand the problems of beautiful people, Yosuke!" 

 

Yosuke narrowed his eyes, growling, "I just gave you my jacket thirty seconds ago, and I am seriously already thinking of taking it back!" he finished on a quieter note, "Not that it'll do much good now . . ."

 

The sound of Naoto pointedly clearing her throat shut the two up, "As I was saying . . . wherever we are, it isn't the T.V."

  
Chie grimaced, "So, I guess you were right. But then that just makes this a whole lot more confusing."

  
"Tell me about it," Rise said, head low.

  
"Who cares what this place is," Kanji cut in, "I wanna know how we get out of it."

  
"That's what we're trying to figure out right now, but we keep getting lost in this place. It's like no matter where we go, we just wind up back where we started!" Chie exclaimed.

  
"So that phenomenon happened with you as well?" Naoto questioned, raising a finger to her chin.

  
"Yeah, it did," Yu said, nodding, "Don't suppose you know how to navigate caves?"

  
Naoto shook her head, "It's not something within my general area of expertise. However . . ."

  
"However . . . what, Naoto-chan?" Rise asked.

  
"Senpai, how long exactly have you and the others been walking?" Naoto questioned, looking pointedly at him.

  
Yu lifted an eyebrow, a bit taken aback by the question, "Um, since we woke up, maybe," he glanced at Yosuke as he tried to think back on the time they'd been here, "Ten, fifteen minutes ago."

  
"I see. That's about as long as me and the others have been walking as well," Naoto said, almost to herself as she became lost in contemplation.

  
"What exactly are you getting at Naoto?" Yosuke probed, curious.

  
Naoto looked up, eyes on the ceiling, "Have you looked at the ceiling? This cavern is large, yes, but not so large that one of us shouldn't have been able to find the opposite side of the cave. Or any side, for that matter. Am I right to assume that once you started walking, you never seemed to stray from the center of the cave?"

  
Everyone looked up as well, examining the ceiling. Now that he looked, Yu could see that, yes, they were still mostly dead center of the cave, which was very odd. It couldn't be because it was so dark, could it? But his eyes had adjusted by now, and, though distant, he could see the ceiling definitely sloped around them, implying a definite end. Yet, for some reason, they still hadn't encountered it. Had that been what he had felt was wrong with the cave?

  
"I think this cave is more than it appears," Naoto finished, "Something is deliberately keeping us here."

  
"But then that's a new question entirely," Rise said slowly, "What's keeping us here?"

  
Yu couldn't give her an answer. There was none to be had. However, there was a faint feeling in his gut that they would soon find it. What unnerved him was that he also had the feeling that it wouldn't be pleasant.  
Then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimmer of something thin and silver.

  
He blinked. Narrowing his eyes, he inspected the ceiling with a careful scrutiny, wondering if he had just imagined it. But there it was again! Right above their heads, he could see it, silver strands so thin they were nearly imperceptible in the dark. But he couldn't tell what they were from here.

  
"Do you see that?" he asked, eyes never leaving the strands for fear of losing sight of them.

  
"Huh?" Yosuke asked, looking at him before looking back at the ceiling, "What are you talking about?"

  
"See . . . what, exactly?" Yukiko inquired, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

  
"What are we lookin' for?" Kanji asked, staring in frustration at the ceiling.

  
"Ah," Naoto said after some time, "Do you mean those strands, Senpai?"

  
He nodded, "Yeah. You see them too?"

  
"Yes, I do," she responded in affirmation, "I noticed them before, but they seemed fairly innocuous, so I paid them no mind. At least, not entirely."

  
"What are you guys looking at?" Chie asked in frustration, "I can't see anything!"

  
"Oh!" Yukiko started, standing up a little straighter, "I think I see them! Those thin, silver things, right?"

  
Kanji squinted, involuntarily scrunching up his nose in the process, "I . . . think I see them."

  
"Yeah . . . yeah, okay, I think I can too," Yosuke said, "Huh. They kinda look like spider webs."

  
"Ugh, don't say that Yosuke-senpai! I hate spiders," Rise said, cringing in disgust. Close by, Chie shivered.

  
"Uh, s-sorry," Yosuke stammered.

  
"There . . . kinda pretty, aren't they," Yukiko commented, looking entranced by the shiny strands.

  
"What? Huh, now that you mention it, they . . . kinda are," Chie said.

  
No one said anything else after that point, too absorbed in the thin streaks above them. A calm silence surrounded them, and Yu couldn't help but notice the way the strands shimmered, like thin strings of iridescent moonlight, ethereal and transient. It was pretty, he had to admit.

  
Very pretty . . . so pretty he felt like he could just stand there forever and watch them. So peaceful . . . so nice . . .

  
Teddie sneezed, and the sudden sound jolted them all back to reality, breaking whatever spell had come over them. Yu placed a hand to the side of his head, feeling shaken. What the hell had just happened then? It . . . it was a like a Marin Karin spell had been cast on him, almost. Around him, the others looked equal parts confused and shocked, no doubt coming to the same conclusion. They'd all been charmed before, after all.

  
"W-whoa . . ." Yosuke mumbled, looking dazed.

  
"Guys, what . . . what just happened?" Chie asked, breathless.

  
"I'm not sure, but . . ." Naoto shook herself, still trying to recollect her thoughts after the sudden charm or whatever it was that had just overcome them.

  
"It wasn't good, whatever it was," Kanji said, looking as if his skin was crawling.

  
"You think?" Rise asked rhetorically, rubbing her shoulders as if she were cold, "It felt like a, a Marin Karin, or something."

"We should leave," Yu said, unease prickling all along his skin. Something was wrong with this place, and he didn't want to stick around any longer than he had too. Especially not with his friends around, where they could be in danger.

  
Nearby, just out of sight, a small rock clattered across the stone floor.

  
His back straightened as alarm coursed through his body, heart pumping as he swung around to face the source of the noise. Behind him, everyone had dropped into defensive stances, shoulders tense.

  
"W-what was that?" Chie asked, words coming out in a rush.

  
"Guys, I h-have a b-beary bad feeling about this," Teddie said, clenching the jacket around his shoulders in a death grip.

  
_Clink, clink, clink._

  
Yu's breath caught in his throat at the sound of what could only be claws clinking along the stone floor, and he motioned for everyone to start moving back.

  
_Clink, clink, clink!_

  
It was coming towards them now, faster! Damn it, where was his sword when he needed it?!

  
Behind him, he heard the sound of a gun cocking. Naoto. At least one of them was armed, though how much good it would do remained to be seen.

  
_Clink, clink, clink clink clink!_

  
He stepped back out of impulse as a large cloud of dust suddenly burst out from between the two crags they were facing, the gritty dirt making his eyes water. Rise and Teddie both let out a small shrieks, Yukiko instinctively grabbed hold of Chie's hand, Kanji took a small step toward Naoto as she quickly held up her revolver, and Yosuke jumped. But, aside from the dust, nothing was there.

  
In a small voice, Rise asked, "Is it gone?"

  
No one relaxed, not even when Teddie experimentally sniffed the air and hesitantly said, "I don't . . . smell anything. J-just a lot of dust."

  
Yu turned around to face the group, opening his mouth to calm them down and to give the order to get of out of this place-

  
Only for the words to catch tight in his throat as his mouth went dry. Because he saw. He saw what was hiding in the shadows behind them, waiting for it's distraction to work so it could strike, eyes already on it's first chosen victims.

  
Without thinking, he shot forward, ignoring the startled looks and exclamations of his companions as he screamed, "Rise, Teddie, _MOVE!_ "

  
The two gave him bewildered looks before turning around to see what was wrong, but they shouldn't do that, they had to RUN! But they wouldn't run, not in time! So, with every ounce of strength he had, Yu dove forward, body slamming into the two and flinging them all out of the way.

  
Right as two pairs of spindly silver legs slammed into the ground right where they had been standing.

  
Yu clambered to his feet, eyes locked on the creature that had descended from the shadows and crawled into sight.

  
A spider. A huge, hairless spider with eight long, segmented legs that were each twice as long as he was. At the end of each leg was a long and lethal-looking claw that clacked stridently against the stone, it's silvery-grey hide perfect for blending into the rock and darkness. Eight faceted eyes, the largest on the top of it's skull and the smallest near it's long hooked fangs, locked on him, the black of them glimmering with hunger. It shifted, the claws on it's feet digging into the rock and lifting it's huge body above their heads, making it seem even larger, even more frightening.

  
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!" he heard Yosuke shouted, fear clear in his voice.

  
"I-I don't KNOW!" Chie shouted, horror written all over her face. An expression that was mirrored by everyone else in the cave, all of them petrified and scared.

  
Rise was clinging to his arm in abject terror, nails digging through the sleeve of his shirt as she whimpered. Teddie hadn't even gotten up off of the floor, one hand clenched tight around Yu's pant leg while the other was fisted into gravel, eyes locked on the creature in front of them, body quaking.

  
This was bad. Panic was setting in; he needed to reign it in, tell them to get it together! This wasn't the time to panic!

  
Above them, the spider drew itself up and let out a bone-chilling shriek that echoed all throughout the cave, piercing and loud and terrifying.

  
And Yu knew there was only one thing they could do.

  
"Everybody RUN!"


	2. Spiders and Shadows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!

Turning around, Yu grabbed hold of Rise's elbow, hauled Teddie to his feet, and bolted, pulling the two out of their terrified trance as they instinctively turned to run with him. Yu didn't have time to see what the others did or where they went. He only trusted them to follow orders and take shelter.

          Behind him, Yu heard the spider shriek, and the tell-tale sound of clacking claws coming after him told him that it had chosen it's prey. He didn't dare look behind him to confirm his suspicion, however, focusing instead on weaving between the stones and pools blocking their way and making sure he didn't get separated from the two with him.

          " _It's coming after us_!" Teddie shouted in terror, voice cracking.

          "Senpai, what do we do?!" Rise asked, panic in her eyes.

          "Keep running, don't look back!" he ordered, heart pounding in his chest as he narrowly leapt over an upturned slab of broken rock.

          The giant spider behind them was getting closer, he could hear it! He looked this way and that, trying to see if their was anywhere they could go the spider wouldn't be able to follow. There had to be something somewhere, a crack or a gap that they could squeeze through . . .

          There! Coming up on their left, two large pillars of stone that tapered toward the middle with a gap between them just large enough for a person! And all around the pillars were long and incredibly thick draperies of stone that formed an almost wall, a perfect barrier. It wouldn't stop the spider for long, but it might be enough to give them a head start and a chance to truly think about what to do.

          "Turn left, towards the pillars!" he shouted.

          They needed no further prompting as they all ran toward it, feet flying and hearts pounding as they heard the creature grow closer. Teddie made it first, his thin frame making it easy for him to slip through the gap unhindered. He turned, blue eyes anxious as he waited for them to cross, "Hurry, you guys!"

          Yu made it next, squeezing through despite the tears made to his shirt as the craggy stone snagged at him, as if it was trying to hold him back. Having safely passed, he turned and watched as Rise dove through, catching her when she nearly lost her footing as she stumbled to an exhausted stop. He pulled her back just in time too, as the spider slammed into the stony pillars not a moment later, relentless and persistent. They all scrambled back as it's long front legs reached through the opening and made wild, uncoordinated grabs for them, back legs digging into the stone as it pressed forward, black eyes peering through the crack and glimmering with hate.

          Hate . . .

          Yu swallowed. That sort of emotion shouldn't be possible for a spider. Then again, growing to the size of a car shouldn't be possible either.

          With a frustrated shriek, it backed away and began to clamber up the pillars with a disturbing silence it hadn't displayed in it's pursuit, it's huge body disappearing into the crevice above. But they couldn't relax yet.

          "Come on," he ushered, urging the other two to keep moving after a very brief moment of silence.

          They kept their pace fast, ears and eyes open for any sign of the spider's return. So far, there had been none, but Yu knew that wouldn't last. That thing's trademark seemed to be stealth, after all.

          His feet stung with every step and he knew they were no doubt covered in cuts from running on the harsh rock underfoot, but he couldn't let that stop him now. Not when he had to find the rest of his friends. Besides, he couldn't complain about the pain since he had Rise and Teddie with him, not when they were scared and tired and needing someone to guide them.

          Rise, who hadn't let go of his arm since the spider had disappeared, whispered, "D-do you think the others are okay, Senpai?"

          "The spider came after us. I'm sure they're fine," Yu reassured her calmly, though inside he didn't feel half so sure. After all, who was to say that the spider was alone, or if there wasn't something else in this damn cave?

          Stubbornly pushing down his rising dread at the thought, he turned to Teddie, "Hey Teddie, can you smell where the others are in here?"

          The blonde-haired boy looked at him, fingers digging tightly into the fabric of Yosuke's coat as he trembled from both fear and cold. He sniffled, looking apologetic, "I-I tried, but my nose is all runny. I'm beary sorry, sensei . . ."

          Yu gave him a small smile, ignoring the pun and placing a hand on the boy's wet head, "Don't worry about it. We're all out of our element here."

          "Still, it'd be nice to know where everyone was, especially with that . . . thing around," Rise murmured, gaze drifting towards stone around them in distrust.

          "Yeah," he agreed, keeping a close eye on his surroundings. It wouldn't be good to let his guard down here.

          A sudden scrambling noise just ahead of them made Yu's heart leap into his throat, and he quickly clamped a hand over Rise's mouth right before she could scream and give away where they were. Her hands flew up to the one covering her mouth, squeezing it with bruising force while Teddie ducked just a bit behind him, shaking.

          But what came running out from behind the cluster of rocks in front of them was not a giant, hungry-looking spider.

          Yu breathed a sigh of relief when he recognized Chie and Yukiko, dropping his hands as tension fled from his shoulders.

          "Oh thank god," Rise said breathlessly, putting a hand over her heart and closing her eyes.

          Beside him, Teddie bounced forward, elation filling his face, "Chie-chan! Yuki-chan! You're both okay!"

          "Course we are!" Chie said, her eyes full of relief, though she kept Teddie at arms-length when he tried to hug her, keeping a hand firmly on his head.

          "Besides, it's us who're glad to see you. You have no idea how worried we were when that creature went after you," Yukiko said.

          Chie nodded, "Yeah, when that spider came down outta nowhere and started chasing you, I thought you guys were goners! Thank goodness I was wrong!" She paused, a faint look of contemplation crossing her face, "That, _was_ a spider, right?"

          "I don't think now is really the time," Yu said, casting a meaningful glance at the ceiling above them.

          Chie grimaced, "Yeah, yeah, you're right."

          "Come on, we should keep moving," Yu said.

          No one needed to be told twice, as they all were aware of the danger they were in, not just himself. That spider could be anywhere, and staying in one place for too long could be dangerous. They had all learned that lesson in the T.V world, and boy, if he sure wasn't grateful for it now.

          "So, how did you guys get in here?" Rise asked, trying to get a conversation going to lighten the gloomy mood hanging over all of them even if she did keep her voice low.

          "What do you mean?" Yukiko asked, looking confused.

          "Like, in 'here'," she said again, gesturing to where they were, "We got in through a crack in the wall. Did you find one too?"

          "A crack in the wall?" Chie mimicked, lifting an eyebrow, "No, not really. Nothing but the same old stalagmites until we ran into you guys."

          "Really?" Rise asked.

          "Yeah. Why, were we supposed to come through a crack in the wall?" Chie questioned, befuddled.

          Yu frowned at that, feeling apprehension pool in his stomach. If they hadn't come the way they did, then . . .

          " _Ouch_!" Teddie yelped, startling all of them.

          "Eep!" Rise squeaked, valiantly trying to keep her voice low despite her alarm. 

          "Jesus Christ, Teddie, don't do that!" Chie scolded, giving him an annoyed look, "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

          "S-sorry," he murmured, rubbing the top of his head, "Something fell and hit me on the head. It really hurt!"

          "Something fell?" Yukiko asked, looking up.

          Color drained from her face almost immediately, eyes going huge and filling with utter horror as her mouth wordlessly opened and closed. Alarmed, Yu looked up, getting ready for the return of the eight-legged monstrosity that had chased them here-

          -only to feel his limbs _freeze_.

          For above them was, not the spider he had been expecting, but instead what he could only call a nest. A huge, unsightly nest of long, white and knotted webs, webs that covered the whole of the ceiling, blanketing the bowl-shaped groove above them in a sticky tangle of white. The stalactites that marked its borders almost resembled a ring of jagged teeth, leading into the drooling maw of a great and hungry beast.

          But that wasn't the worst part. The worst part were the cocoons. Cocoons of varying shapes and sizes, all unmoving, all silent. Whatever was within them was most assuredly dead. But Yu knew, if what had happened earlier was any indication, that it wasn't the corpses of animals hanging over their heads. Even now, staring as he was, Yu could sometimes see the curve of an awkwardly bent limb through the webbing where it was thin. And they all looked _desiccated_. 

          The grisly, unnatural sight appalled him, leaving him horror-struck and speechless. Rise's hands flew to her mouth, muffling her horrified gasps as tears welled up at the corners of her eyes. Yukiko didn't move at all save to weakly cling to Chie's sleeve, staring blankly at the horrible scene above her head, body trembling.

          "Those are bodies . . . oh my god . . . those are _bodies_ . . ." Chie moaned, trying to come to terms with what she was seeing, breath coming in short and unsteady gasps. She pressed a hand to her stomach, as if she was going to be sick right then and there, face pale and drawn.

          "Sensei . . ." Teddie whimpered, pressing his face against Yu's back, unable to even look at the sight anymore.

          "What . . . the hell is this place?" he asked quietly, so quiet even he barely heard his own words. It was like something out of a cheesy horror movie he'd watch with Yosuke after a day of school. Except this wasn't a scary scene watched from the safety of the living room couch, nor even a resulting nightmare he could wake up from. This was reality. A reality that he and his friends shouldn't even be in, but were nonetheless.

          And he desperately needed to find a way out of it and return home, or he and his friends ran the risk of winding up just like the ones above them, hanging in a coffin of webs.

          Then he saw it. The slightest shift of something alive moving within the confines of the webs. Alive . . . and very, very big.

          He didn't even get the chance to yell a warning, because suddenly a cone of silver threads burst out from the nest, blasting them all with such force that it knocked them all to the ground. Yu's head slammed against a rock with a sharp crack, and he nearly passed out as black spots swam in his vision and his ears rang. Fighting to regain control of his senses, he tried to move, only to find that his limbs were being pinned down by something. Something wet and sticky.

          Oh no . . .

          As his sight returned to normal, he saw that his limbs and torso had became wrapped in strands of thick, gluey webbing, to strong for him to break by hand alone. If he had even had his hands to use. Still he struggled, spurred on by the distressed cries of his teammates as they to tried to break out of their webbed prisons.

          "Yukiko! Yukiko, are you okay?" Chie yelled, worry clear in her voice as she fought to tear the strands off.

          "I-I'm okay. Sort of," Yukiko responded, trying in vain to twist out of the threads holding her down.

          "W-what is this stuff? I can't _move_!" Rise cried in panic, struggling to pull her limbs free.

          "Everyone, calm down!" he urged, despite the dread threatening to claw its way out of his stomach. Panicking would just make things worse.

          Something wriggled underneath Yu's arm and shoulder, and he heard a small voice moan, "Owie . . ."

          He tried to turn his head, but the sticky threads impeded his movement enough that he could only just see another body pinned beneath his own, encased in white threads just like he was.

          "Teddie?" he asked, "Teddie, can you hear me?"

          "Sensei?" he coughed, "Is that you? Everything's all . . . fuzzy . . . hehe, kinda like me . . ."

          He let out a disoriented little laugh that was very out of place for the situation they were in, which confused and worried him. Then Yu realized. Teddie must have hit his head on the way down too, a blow no doubt made worse by the fact that Yu's own weight had been added to the force that had blown them to the ground in the first place. Which was definitely _not_ good, "Teddie, listen to me, you have to focus."

          "Say, what are ya doing in my bed anyway, sensei?" Teddie asked, completely oblivious to what Yu was trying to say, "If ya wanted some of my fuzzy fur, you just had to ask!"

          Shit, he must have hit his head harder than Yu had thought, "No, Teddie, this isn't-"

          His words died in his throat when a large shadow above them shifted and descended from the putrid nest on strings of silver thread. The spider that had chased them finally made itself known once more.

          It clacked it's fangs together, almost as if it was savoring it's victory, lightly picking it's way over to them with a deliberate slowness that could only be called cruel. Yu felt his heart begin to race, and he fought all the harder to break away. Shit. Shit!

          "Dammit! _Dammit!_ " Chie shouted, voice rising as her fear did.

          "Chie . . ." Yukiko said, on the verge of tears as the spider crawled closer.

          Chie stopped struggling, looking at her friend as she clamped down on her own fright to comfortingly say, "It's okay, Yuki. It's okay, I'm right here, I'm right next to you."

          She continued to talk to Yukiko, voice soothing and unruffled despite the fear she no doubt felt. But her display of courage for the sake of her best friend only strengthened Yu's own resolve to save them, with his life if he had too. With renewed vigor, he tugged and pulled at the threads covering his body, refusing to give up.

          The spider paused, seemingly examining it's resisting prey with a calculated gaze before it's hungry eyes fell on the struggling bundle just right of Yu's own body, multiple eyes locking on it's target. And when Yu saw the hunger gleaming in it's eyes, he realized what it had just done.

          It had chosen it's first meal.

          "Senpai!" Rise cried in terror as the spider made it's way closer to her, squirming and thrashing and doing anything in her power to get away.

           Her frightened yells pushed Yu to try harder, but the threads gave no ground, none at all. If he couldn't get loose, then Rise . . . !

          In desperation, he twisted and shouted, "Hey! HEY! If you want to eat someone, then eat me!"

          The spider actually seemed to glance in his direction, as if contemplating his words, and Yu continued, hoping to keep up the distraction if only to buy time, "That's right, I'm talking to you! If you really want something tasty, then I'm the one you want, not her!"

          If the spider understood him or not, he didn't care. All he cared about was that it's attention remained on him. And he wasn't alone.

          "Y-yeah, you big, ugly freak!" Chie yelled, masking her fear behind bravado, "The tasty meat is over here!"

          But the spider made no move to come towards them, and, to Yu's horror, the creature continued to stalk closer towards Rise.

          He thrashed as violently as he could against his restraints, shouting loudly, uncaring for what the words were, his focus solely on stopping that thing from getting to his friend. Chie and Yukiko writhed and thrashed about as well, shouting and yelling and trying to grab the monster's attention once more. But for all their efforts, the creature did not stop. Nothing _worked!_ Never had Yu felt so helpless before, so unable to do anything!

          No . . . he had once before. Back when they had first fought Izanami and he had powerlessly watched as his friends were dragged into an abyss far darker than any shadow. But he had vowed never to be so helpless again. Inside him, he _had_ the power to never be that helpless, he _had_ the power to stop this, he knew it! He tried digging for that power, reaching for it, hoping against hope that the first time had only been a fluke, that now maybe, just maybe . . .

          Yet nothing came. Izanagi-no-Okami was still too far away to help him.

          He . . . was helpless.

          The spider swooped in on his prone victim with practiced ease, it's huge form hovering over a terrified and trembling Rise with only webbing between them, hooked fangs mere inches from the girl's tearful face.

          "No, RISE!" Yu shouted at the top of his lungs.

          "RISE!" Both Chie and Yukiko cried.

          Then the spider reared up, fangs bared and poised to bite deep into the girl's flesh, and Rise closed her eyes and screamed.

          _BANG! BANG! BANG!_

          Yu felt his hope soar when Naoto suddenly burst out from the shadows, striding forward with a look of pure and unwavering steel, eyes never leaving her target as she unloaded everything she had into the creature' chitinous skull.

          The spider shrieked in surprise and pain as several bullets hit their mark, backpedaling away and abandoning Rise in favor of escaping Naoto's onslaught, only to run right into another. Large rocks suddenly pelted it from above, hitting it in it's thorax and abdomen with enough force to actually draw out a hiss of pain. It turned to face the new arrival, and Yu watched as Naoto took the time to quickly reload her gun.

          "Are you alright, Rise?" Naoto asked. Her eyes were still on the monster in front of her, but her concern could be heard by anyone who listened.

          Rise's voice floated over to him, weak and thick with tears, but genuine and full of relief, "Y-yeah. T-thank y-you, Naoto."

          He inwardly sighed. Thank god she was alright.

          "Hey, over here, you eight-legged bastard!" he heard Kanji's voice yell just out of his sight, livid and taunting.

          "Come on, pick on someone you're own size!" Yosuke was there too, and he felt a mixture of relief and joy. If only the situation they were in weren't so dire, and if only he wasn't stuck like this!

          "Kanji-kun! Yosuke-kun!" Yukiko cried joyfully, tears of relief pricking the corners of her eyes.

          Another rock was lobbed and this time struck the spider square in the face, clipping one of it's fangs with enough force to chip off the very tip.

          "Alright, nice shot, Yosuke!" Chie cheered, spirits soaring despite her predicament.

          The spider, however, was of a different opinion. Seeming to have grown sick of their resistance and the rocks being hurled in it's direction, it reared up and slammed it's powerful body against the ground. The stone beneath him suddenly jerked and rocked violently, the webs encasing his body the only thing keeping him from rolling this way and that. Small chunks of loose stone and gravel fell from the ceiling, and water sloshed up from the pools around them, spilling across the ground in great swathes.

          "WHOA!" he heard Yosuke yell in surprise, no doubt thrown off guard by the sudden quaking.

          "SHIT!" Kanji shouted.

          With another jerk, he heard both of them cry out as they were flung from whatever perch they had made for themselves, bodies hitting the ground hard. Both moaned in pain as the shaking slowly subsided, both down and out.

          "Kanji! Yosuke!" he shouted, alarmed at being unable to see the state of his friends.

          "They're okay!" Naoto informed him, able to see what he could not. She quickly regained her footing, already taking aim and ready to fire, finger hovering over the trigger.

          But the spider had been ready. Naoto was only able to get one shot off when the spider shot forward with a burst of frightening speed, ramming it's head square into her stomach and effortlessly knocking her away. For Yu, everything seemed to slow down as he watched in stunned horror as her small body hit the stalagmite behind her with brutal force. The back of her head collided sharply against the stone, and Yu couldn't tell if the dark, shiny substance that flew into the air was water or blood. Naoto slumped to the ground, unmoving and silent.

          "Naoto-chan? NAOTO-CHAN?" Rise shouted, voice growing higher and higher as her fear and worry took their toll.

          "Oh no . . . " Yukiko murmured disbelievingly, on the verge of tears.

          "Nao . . . to . . ." Kanji groaned, and though his voice was disoriented and pain-filled, Yu could still hear his fear.

          His eyes drifted over Naoto's unmoving form, the dismay in his stomach like a lump of ice as he looked for even the faintest signs of life. But he couldn't see anything from here. Not a twitch of a finger, not the rise and fall of her chest, nothing.

          She couldn't be dead. She couldn't be . . . !

          The spider howled, but it wasn't a victorious one. No, in fact, it sounded annoyed. Annoyed . . . and hungry. It didn't take the time to imprison the new intruders, not even bothering to see if they were dead. No, instead it ignored them completely and made it's way over to it's already cocooned victims. The deliberate slothfulness it had mocked them with before was gone, replaced by a single-minded priority to feed, to slake it's hunger.

          And it's black, ravenous eyes had alighted on him.

          He could only watch as the creature crawled over him, slender legs barring him on all sides like a prison, it's black fangs inches from his face. He could hear the voices of his friends, begging and pleading and crying, but they all seemed distant. As if they were phantoms, insubstantial and unreal. For one brief moment, the spider's eyes locked with his, and Yu could see his own fearful face reflected back at him, as if he were staring into eight black and tiny mirrors, all showing him the same thing.

          The face of a man who was going to die.

          Just like before, the creature reared up, it's fangs, one serrated and one chipped, both poised to strike. Around him, all his friends fearfully cried out his name, yet it was only one voice he heard with clarity as the deadly monster finally went for the kill.

          "PARTNER!"

          Time moved slowly, so slowly, as the fangs made their descent, a perception perhaps brought about by it being the last thing he'd ever see. He expected pain. He expected death.

          What he did not expect was the long, shadowy arms that curved around the creature's shoulder, nor the black, claw-tipped hands that caught the fangs in the midst of their descent and brutally jerked them back.

          The creature let out a scream of pure agony and rage as it was suddenly and violently wrested away from it's kill, legs scrambling wildly as two huge, onyx-colored hands held fast to it's fangs. With one powerful twist, the spider was sent flying, crashing against the floor in a stunned heap. It was then that Yu was able to clearly see who had saved him.

          And sincerely wonder if his situation had gotten any better.

          For standing there, at a full eight feet tall, was what he could only describe as a shadow. It's body, if it even had a body, was wrapped entirely in darkness, the shadows flicking around it's shoulder and head like black, opaque flames. It's arms and legs were long, and each finger and toe was capped by a long, lethal-looking talon that could easily rip through his flesh. The only discerning feature he could see were the two pinpoints of light that made up it's eyes, the white of them burning with cold fire as it stared down it's opponent.

          The spider scrambled back to it's feet, hissing and spitting and spreading it's front legs wide in a display of fearsome aggression. The shadow-creature flexed it's claws and let out a cold and scratchy hiss of it's own, the shadowy fire on it's body intensifying to a blaze. A moment of tense and breathless silence passed. Then, without warning, the shadow launched itself toward the spider, and the two became locked in a deadly and dangerous dance. Clawed hands ripped at it's leathery hide, drawing beads of black blood as the spider wrapped it's spindly legs around it's opponent's body, trying in vain to hold it's incorporeal form steady as it attempted to sink it's fangs into it's shadowy throat.

          So engrossed was Yu was in the vicious conflict going on in front of him that he almost missed the sound of something . . . ripping. Like cotton being sheared by a knife.  A noise that was right next to him, and he jerked when he realized that the sound was coming from the webs encasing his body.

          And he blinked in surprise when, as he jerked away, his arm came up freely and unrestrained. He gazed at it, stupefied for only a moment before he tried sitting up himself and finding, with amazement, that the threads holding him down were slowly _dissolving_! How or when, he didn't know, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. He was free!

          Relishing that freedom only lasted for a few precious seconds, however, when he was brought back to reality by the feel of a hand pressing into his own before closing it into a fist, a voice whispering softly into his ear, "Give that to your friend. Make sure he drinks it all."

          His head snapped to his left to find the one who had spoken, eyes wide and alert and knowing with absolute certainty that he hadn't imagined that.

          But no one was there save for rock and webs. Confused, he opened his hand and saw that a tiny vial now rested against his palm, and inside he could see a shimmering blue liquid that looked almost satiny in texture. Give this to his friend? Who-?

          A sudden hand on his shoulder made him impulsively twist and nearly smack the hand away, only calming when he recognized the voice speaking to him, "Whoa, hey, calm down, it's just me!"

          He dropped his hand to the floor, finally recognizing the person in front of him and feeling relieved when he did, "Yosuke . . ."

          "Yeah, we can say 'I'm glad to see you're okay' later," Yosuke said, "Right now, we need to get outta here before those things decide they'd rather eat than fight."

          Chie and Yukiko ran up to them, cut free from their bonds as well, perhaps thanks to the same one who'd set him free.

          Yukiko fell to her knees and hugged him fiercely, and Yu felt his spine pop, "Oh, thank god you're okay! I thought . . . I really thought we were going to lose you!"

          Yosuke gave her a look that tried to be annoyed, but failed as his own relief made it hard to be angry, "Yuki-chan, I know you're happy, I get it, I am too, but we really, _really_ need to get outta here!"

          "I'm with Yosuke on this one," Chie interjected hastily, placing a hand on Yukiko's shoulder, "I don't want to be around when those guys finally figure out whose top dog around here," she gave a pointed look to the still thrashing monsters, who were still tearing and screeching at each other with rage.

          Yu nodded, "I agree, this is not the place to be right now. Where're the others?"

          "Kanji's getting Rise and Naoto right now, so we should start moving," Yosuke said, when his eyes fell to the floor and he gave an irritated huff, "God dammit, Ted, now is not the time to be sleeping!"

          Teddie . . . oh hell . . .

          Yu turned just in time to see Yukiko place a hand on the back of Teddie's head, no doubt to prop him up so they could wake him, only to abruptly pull her hand back and stare.

          "Guys . . ." she murmured, and she quietly showed them her hand.

          Blood.

          "Oh shit!" Yosuke balked before leaning over Teddie, shaking his shoulders and snapping his fingers to try and get him to stir, "Teddie! Teddie, wake up!"

          "What the hell happened to him?!" Chie asked in alarm, crawling to Yosuke's side. She didn't wait for an answer, instead tearing off a long piece of her shirt and awkwardly wrapping it around his head, "I hope I'm doing this right."

          "Here, let me help you," Yukiko said, leaning over so she could help her friend. She was good at basic first aid, a skill she had honed in the T.V world, which would help in stopping the blood.

          Yu frantically wracked his mind as he tried to think of something he could do. They had no means of identifying what was wrong. For all he knew, it could be a concussion, or it could be . . . something worse. What could he do?

          _Give that to your friend. Make sure he drinks all of it._

Yu blinked, and his eyes fell to the glass vial resting in his hands. Should he? Could he really trust this? He didn't see any reason for the stranger to lie. If they had wanted them dead, they would have just left them to the spider.

          "Yu? Yu!" Yu blinked and looked up, realizing that Yosuke was staring at him, "What are you looking at?"

          Well, here goes nothing, "I'm . . . looking at this," he said, holding out the vial for all to see, "It might be able to help."

          "Are you sure?" Yukiko asked, "I mean, did you just find that on the ground?"

          He shook his head, "No. But we really don't have time to argue about it right now."

          Scooting forward, he pulled the cork out with his teeth and said, "Chie, could you hold his head up please?"

          "Uh, s-sure," she said, carefully doing as he asked.

          Slowly, carefully, he tipped the contents of the vial into Teddie's mouth, making sure to drain every drop before sitting back and crossing his fingers.

          Only a moment passed when Teddie shifted and, to Yu's infinite relief that his trust had not been misplaced, he opened his eyes.

          Chie and Yukiko both heaved a sigh of relief as Yosuke's shoulders slumped, saying, "Jesus man, don't do that again."

          Teddie sat up and gave them all a confused look, still a bit disoriented and at a loss as to what was going on, "Um, don't do what again?"

          Panic flashed through his eyes and his words came out in an almost incoherent rush, "If you mean 'don't read you're special books again' I'm sorry, I didn't mean too, I was just curious!"

          Yosuke clamped a hand tight over his mouth, face beet red as he hissed, "Hey, ixnay on the book-say, you idiot!"

          Chie gave him a cross look, huffing, "Hmph. Pervert."

          A sudden crash nearby jolted them all out of their brief respite, and they all whirled around just in time to see the shadow hurl the spider onto it's back, pinning it to the floor as the spider's hooked claws dug into it's body, clawing and screeching.

          "AHH, _it wasn't a dream!_ " Teddie cried, wrapping his arms around Yosuke's neck in a vice-like grip.

          "Grk!"

          "Okay, I think we should be going now!" Chie said, looking anxiously for a way out that wouldn't draw too much attention.

          "Wait, we need to get Kanji-kun and the others first!" Yukiko insisted, standing up.

          "That won't be necessary."

          Yu's heart flooded with relief when he saw Kanji and Rise walking towards them, helping a limping, but alive, Naoto. She was banged up, for sure, but overall, she appeared nowhere near as bad as she'd looked when she'd been flung into the wall.

          The others shared his sentiment, coming forward with relief in their eyes and on their faces. Except Teddie, who only looked puzzled, but that was understandable.

          But now that they were together again, they couldn't remain any longer. So he quickly stepped in and said, "Alright, we need to leave. Naoto, you're okay to walk, right?"

          "I will be fine, senpai," Naoto said affirmatively, nodding.

          "I'll help her out," Kanji said, eyes resolute.

          "Alright, then let's-" Yu didn't get the time to finish when a huge _crack_ thundered through the air, drowning out his voice and everything else with it.

          "Ah, what _now?!_ " Yosuke demanded in exasperation.

          No one got to answer as another just like the one before it crashed into existence, echoing throughout the cavern in booming waves. All of them covered their ears at the noise, and Yu cast his eyes everywhere, trying to figure out where it was coming from, if it was coming from anything at all.

           That was when an eerie green light caught his attention.

          There, one of the stalactites was glowing. Well, not the stalactite itself, per say, but a thin green line coiling around the very top was. Could that be the source?

          He watched as the stalactite jerked, the green light intensifying, and if his eyes didn't deceive him, he could almost say it looked like the light was . . . eating through the rock. Like some kind of acid. And right below the breaking stalactite was . . .

          The combatants that were still writhing and twisting on the ground, unaware of what was happening until, at last, with one final crack, the whole thing broke away from the ceiling and came hurtling toward the fighting pair at a terrifying speed.

           The shadow suddenly disappeared, body dissolving into a black mist that harmlessly floated past the falling stalactite, whipping up into the air and fading into the darkness. The spider was not so lucky.

          The stalactite struck home, pointed end driving deep into the spider's gut and pinning it to the earth below. Ribbons of black blood splattered across the stone and sprayed across the floor, the spider letting out a piercing death knell as it's legs spasmed uncontrollably around the rocky spear. It's claws dug ferociously into the stone, fighting with all it had left until, after what felt like an eternity, it's legs twitched and curled inward and it's body finally grew still.

          No one said anything at first, too stunned by what they had just witnessed to speak until Chie slowly and cautiously ventured, "Is it . . . is it dead?"

          "Well, I'd certainly say it's dead, but you can try asking it yourself if you don't believe me."

          Yu and the others were instantly on their guard, wary eyes looking all over the place for the voice that had suddenly spoken, only to find nothing. God, he was not in the mood for anymore nasty surprises!

          "W-who said that?!" Chie demanded, looking this way and that and seeing no one.

          The voice seemed all to happy to oblige her with an off-hand answer, "I don't know. Maybe you're just going crazy!"

          Yu narrowed his eyes in annoyance. The voice, whoever they were, were clearly enjoying their bewilderment, mirth evident in their voice. And his temper was already frazzled to its last nerve. He was in _no_ mood for this.

          "Who are you?" He demanded, "Show yourself!"

          "Well that's not very nice. Don't they have manners where you're from?"

          "Hey, we've had it about up to here with this bullcrap!" Kanji shouted, just as fed up as the rest of them, "If you won't come out on you're own, then I'll drag your ass out myself!"

          "And I think we deserve some answers after all we've been through," Yosuke put in, looking and sounding just as aggravated.

          "Answers?"

          The mysterious voice went silent for a moment, seeming to contemplate their words. Yu frowned, feeling an niggling sense of wrongness with the voice. No, wrongness wasn't the right word for it. What he felt was . . . familiarity. But that familiarity, he realized, was what made it wrong, because _how_ could he be familiar with this strange voice? Unless . . . it wasn't a stranger speaking to them . . .

          "Alright, I guess I can give you a few answers. Don't know how much it'll help, though, because I doubt I have the ones you want!~"

          A shadow, smaller than the one that had appeared before, materialized by the body of the deceased spider, and Yu watched, wide-eyed, as the shadow slowly morphed into a very visible, very solid, very _human_ form.

          The person, a young man, casually leaned against the blood-splattered stalactite with one booted foot braced against the crook of the dead spider's fang, wholly at ease and seemingly quite relaxed. Half his body was draped under the rock's shadow, but it wasn't so deep that the details couldn't be seen. He gave them a cheery smile and a friendly wave, but Yu barely noticed them because it was the person's face he was staring at in open, undisguised shock.

          Because the person standing in front of them looked exactly like someone who he _knew_ was also standing just behind him.

          Because the person in front of them . . . looked exactly like Teddie.


	3. Tirin

          The air of stupefied shock was almost stifling, and so thick Yu felt he could have cut into it with a knife had his mind not been so completely overwhelmed by the person standing in front of them. A person who looked like he was enjoying their thunderstruck expressions very, very much, if the small, cat-like smile on his face was anything to go by. Knocking his head slightly to one side, he cheekily quipped, "Well, they do say beauty can strike people dumb.~"

          The light, airy words broke Yu out of his stupor, bringing him back to the reality that this was in fact happening right now. And apparently he wasn't alone, because before he could speak, exclamations of bewilderment and alarm suddenly rose up in a tidal wave of noise behind him.

          "What the _fuck_?!" Kanji and Yosuke.

          "Oh my god," Yukiko.

          "Who the hell is that?!" Chie.

          "What in the world-?!" Rise.

          "W-w-w-why does he look like _me?!_ " Teddie, utterly baffled. Then, with a growl, he pointed accusingly, "There's only one explanation for this! You're an imposter!"

          The strange Teddie look-a-like slightly tilted his head to one side, "Oh? I'd say you're the imposter here. Impost _ers_ , actually."

           "Wha- . . . hey, we ain't imposters!" Kanji shouted defensively.

          "Then what are you?" the stranger asked, though his tone sounded teasing rather than serious.

          "Hey, we're the ones who should be asking the questions here!" Yosuke snapped, though in his eyes Yu could see the uneasiness flicker like a storm. Behind his bravado, he was clearly unnerved by who stood before them.

          "Yeah, so start talking!" Chie demanded bravely, "Just who the hell are you?!"

          "A-and why do you have my face?" Teddie added, a demand followed by loud sneeze as the chill brought by his waterlogged clothes began to take affect once more.

          The stranger only looked passingly amused, and it was a look Yu recognized well. The only people who wore it were those who didn't feel they were in any danger at all. Whoever this person was, whether it was Teddie or . . . or something else, he clearly did not see them as a threat.

          _And right now, we hardly are,_ he reflected, knowing full well the disadvantage they were at.

          "Well, what exactly is it you want to know?" he asked blithely, "My name, what I do?"

          "Hey, cut the crap! You know what we wanna know, so start talkin'!" Kanji shouted.

          The stranger smirked, "Now, now, I know I'm a rather dashing specimen of many wonderful talents, but sadly, telepathy isn't one of them."

          Kanji glowered at the strange doppelganger, a vein popping as he took a threatening step forward, "I swear, I'm gonna-!"

          Yu held up a hand and motioned him back, voice stern, yet low, "Kanji, wait. We don't know what he's capable of, and we're not in any shape to defend ourselves if things go sour."

          "Agreed," Naoto said quietly as she place a hand on Kanji's arm, which wasn't difficult as she was still leaning on him for support, "In our condition, picking a fight would not be our best course of action. So far, this . . . other Teddie has been cordial with us. A diplomatic approach would be the best way to ensure he remains so."

          Kanji growled, eyeing the stranger with deep distrust. But he backed off, and though his muscles remained tense, ready to spring into action if need be, he kept his peace. Around him, Yu heard the rest of the group murmur in agreement, calm enough now to see the sense of Naoto's words.

          With the situation no longer in danger of flying off the handle, Yu stepped forward, faltering slightly when the stranger's eyes locked on him like a raptor spying a mouse. His eyes . . . they weren't like Teddie's eyes. They were duller, suffused with a hue of gray that dimmed the blue considerably, like a smooth stone under the rippling surface of a crystalline lake. They pierced rather than observed, and Yu couldn't help but feel like he was being visually dissected. And . . . though it may have just been the poor lighting . . . it almost looked like his pupils were as thin and sharp as a cat's . . .

          Yu could tell from that gaze alone that while he may look like Teddie . . . the resemblance may very well only be skin deep.

          Steeling his nerves and reminding himself he was not alone, Yu spoke with a voice as level as an undisturbed pond, "Who are you? Were you the one who saved us just now?"

          "Well, I don't mean to brag . . . but yes, I did! Just like a knight, even if I didn't have a shining steed!" was his chipper response, waving a hand at the dead spider beneath him, "It's alright to swoon. As for my name . . ." he placed a hand to his chest and inclined his head to them in slight, subtle bow, "You can call me Tirin."

          Yu relaxed a little. So, he hadn't imagined the hand giving him the vial. And if he'd bothered saving them, then perhaps their situation wasn't as precarious as they'd thought. Bowing slightly in return, Yu said, "Thank you. If you hadn't, we most likely would have died."

          The stranger, 'Tirin', nodded, accepting the gratitude with a degree of humility Yu wouldn't expect to see on someone who looked so like the excitable (and somewhat egotistical) Teddie. But he guessed that this was only scratching the surface of the differences they were likely to see.

          "So, Tirin," Yu started again, using his name as a show of respect, "Do you know where-?"

          "Ah-ah-ah," Tirin interrupted, holding up a silencing finger, "My turn to ask a question now! _Who_ are _you_?"

          Yu glanced back at the others, seeing them shift uneasily at the thought of exposing anything to this virtual stranger. But then, they didn't have much choice. Hopefully, just their names would suffice, for now, at least.

          Turning back to Tirin, he held his head up and took the lead, "My name is Yu Narukami. You'll have to forgive me if I don't shake your hand."

          Tirin only inclined his head to him at that, an amused smile tweaking the corners of his lips. Yu's introduction did get the ball rolling, however, everyone soon stepping up to give their own names in return;

          "Yosuke. Hanamura," Yosuke said, tone clipped and guarded.

          "I'm Chie Satonaka," Chie answered right after, holding herself up to appear strong and self-assured despite the uncertainty flickering in her eyes.

          Yukiko came next, nodding her head in a show of rigid courtesy she saved for people she didn't know or trust, "My name is Yukiko Amagi."

          "Kanji Tatsumi," Kanji said, voice gruff and wary.

          "Rise. Rise Kujikawa," Rise said, perhaps the most openly friendly of the group. At least, outwardly she was. Yu knew her well enough to know that the affability she threw about was just a cover for her suspicion.

          "Naoto Shirogane," Naoto said softly, face a carefully controlled neutral that gave away nothing.

          Teddie pursed his lips, as if he were reluctant to answer his strange 'other', but finally he acquiesced, "I'm Teddie. And that's _my_ name, not yours!"

          Tirin, who had been nodding his head to each person in turn, paused at Teddie's declaration, a slightly bemused expression crossing his face. He mumbled something under his breath, a jumble of words that sounded foreign to Yu's ears, before shaking his head and pushing himself off the rock he leaned against. In the process, he stepped out of it's shadow, affording a clearer view of his appearance.

          Tirin was definitely dressed for a fight, Yu saw that right off the bat. His armor was sleek and snug against his lithe frame, the black fabric appearing glossy in texture as the frail light slid across its surface like oil. Peering closer, he realized with a start that the reason why was because the armor itself was made from what looked like an innumerable number of opaque black scales all painstakingly stitched into the fiber. Black bracers wound around his wrists, small arrow insignias wrought in silver embedded into the backs of each one. His boots cut off just below his knees, with delicate silver tracery coiled around the ankles and traveling up the sides to the top, striking against the black leather. Disturbingly enough, the soles made no noise as he padded over the stone, as if he were made of air rather than solid flesh and blood. On his head were a pair of ebony goggles held in place with a black leather cord, the lenses of which were made of smoothly polished crystal that glinted in the dim light despite their smoky hue. They stuck out against his blonde hair, but Yu imagined they weren't there to be fashionable. A cloth belt of green, black, and gold thread was tied around his waist, its simplistic appearance making it stand out against the otherwise stupendous set of armor.

          Of particular note to Yu, however, were the weapons hanging from his sides. They were a pair of punching daggers, not unlike the claws Teddie would use when they'd explored the TV world in the past. Each dagger had twin six-inch blades that ran parallel together from the flat guard, the tips of each curving down to mimic the appearance of great fangs. The metal was black and bore a strangely glossy sheen, each blade bearing a green tint like they'd been dipped in poison. The guard itself was roughly an inch in width, and set into the heart right between the blades of each dagger was a small green gemstone, their surfaces glimmering like pearls of solidified acid.

          What bare skin Yu could see was strangely pale, almost snowy in color, and looked as if it gave off just the subtlest of glows, like the soft light of a candle. It became clear then that the man before him may not be human. He looked older, too, older than any of them at any rate. But that wasn't as important as the very real, very lethal looking weapons attached to his hips, nor the revelation that they may be dealing with something supernatural.

          "Dude, he looks like he jumped straight out of an rpg," Yu heard Yosuke whisper behind him.

          "I don't think now's really the time, Yosuke-Senpai," Rise whispered after that, though she didn't take her wondering eyes off the stranger.

          The man's arms went akimbo as he inclined his head in their direction, eyes flashing with curiosity, "R-P-G? Is that a compliment?" he smiled, winking, "If it is, please, don't hold back! Speak up! It's not everyday you get to see something as gorgeous as myself, after all!~"

          "But still egotistical. Figures . . ."

          Yosuke's words were quickly drowned out by Teddie's indignant exclamation as he jumped to the fore and pointed accusingly at Tirin, "OOOB-JEC-TION! No one here is more gorgeous than me, and that most definitely includes imposters trying to bemirch my good name!"

          Tirin lifted an eyebrow, idly digging the toe of one boot against the stone, "Bemirch? Do you mean besmirch? Because if anyone's doing any besmirching here, it's you, oh soggy one."

          Teddie's gasp was scandalized, "And so unbearlivably rude! I'll tell you something, you-you-a, ah- . . . AC _HOO!_ "

          Teddie sneezed explosively, and Yu was beginning to suspect the onset of a cold. Given their conditions, it wasn't implausible they'd all come down with something at this rate. And that wasn't even taking into account their injuries. He felt as if he'd run through a field of barbed wire, not to mention the pain throbbing at the base of his skull. They needed to find someplace warm and safe, and fast.

          "Listen," Yu said, stepping forward and gesturing for the others to calm down, "We're lost and don't know where we are. As you can probably tell, some of us are hurt and need treatment. Since you seem to know this area, we would be grateful if you could point us in the direction of a town or city."

          Tirin let out a short bark of laughter, as if Yu had said a joke only he understood, "You don't want to go to any of the cities around here, trust me." He mumbled something under his breath that sounded disturbingly like 'they'd eat you alive', but it was too quiet to tell.

          "And why should we trust you?" Yosuke probed, eyes narrowed and fingers twitching to where his kunai would be had he had them, "Sure, you saved us, but whose to say it isn't just to lead us somewhere worse? And that's not even getting into the fact that you look exactly like one of our friends!"

          "Yeah, that's more than a little suspicious!" Chie added sharply, posture rigid.

          "What they s-s-s-said!" Teddie shouted.

          Tirin made face of over-exaggerated hurt, placing a hand over his heart as if in shock, "Oh, now those words just cut right to the core! And after I swooped in and rescued you from certain peril, how cruel!"

          When neither Yosuke nor Chie relaxed, the man dropped his pout and lifted his hands in surrender, "Alright, alright, yeesh. Tough crowd . . ."

          If he was going to say anything else, it was cut off by Kanji's panicked exclamation, "Wh-whoa, hey, N-Naoto, are you okay?"

          Yu spun around in alarm, seeing that the blue-haired girl had slumped over where she stood, Kanji's arm the only thing keeping her from falling as her hat slipped off her head and landed on the floor.

          "Naoto-kun?!" Rise asked in alarm, rushing to her friend's side only to hover there indecisively, at a loss for what to do.

          Yukiko had swept up to her side as well, leaning over to peer into the girl's pale face, "Naoto-kun? Naoto-kun, can you hear me?"

          For a few seconds, she didn't respond. Then, with a soft groan and a wince of pain, Naoto opened her eyes and struggled to rise back to her feet. Kanji helped her out, looking as if he feared even the faintest breeze could knock her down. Yu was struggling with the same fear himself as he came over to her, taking in her pallid skin and sweaty brow. She looked bad . . .

          "M-my apologies . . ." she said, voice pained and face white, "I . . . seem to be having difficulty keeping my eyes open . . ."

          "Hey, if you ain't feelin' well, don't push yourself," Kanji chided, shifting his arm slightly to take more of Naoto's weight against his own.

          "I appreciate the concern, b-but now is not the time too be . . . doting on me . . ." Naoto was keeping a brave front, but it was clear that whatever was ailing her was winning out, her head continuously nodding forward until she jerked it up again.

          "It won't do us any good if you hurt yourself in the process," Yu said firmly, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. He could feel heat radiate under the cloth, "Take it easy. We'll get out of here soon."

          "Which we'd better do," Yu jumped slightly when the voice appeared right next to him, startled eyes landing on Tirin, who'd somehow teleported into their midst without any of them noticing. He paid no mind to the startled gasps and shocked stares he received, eyes roving over Naoto's face even as Kanji started to growl, "Hey, back off!"

          "Shh!" Tirin hushed rather sharply, And Yu noticed that the pretense of joviality he'd been holding up before had utterly vanished, face now uncharacteristically serious as he stared Kanji down, "Unless you want your friend to die, you'll let me help."

          "Die?" Chie repeated in shock, eyes wide, "Wha-wha-what'dya you mean _'die'?!_ "

          "She's been poisoned," he replied with an air of rather disturbing calm, "The spider's fangs probably nicked her when it attacked her."

          "Ah . . . so that would explain the tingling . . ." Naoto murmured, only to be quietly hushed by Rise, who was stroking the other girl's back.

          " _Shit!_ " he heard Yosuke curse under his breath, "Our personas are all out, and we don't have any Dokudami Tea!"

          "Nao-chan . . ." Teddie whimpered in worry, fingers twining together as if he hoped to somehow will his persona into existence.

          "Can you help her?" Yu asked as he turned to the stranger, knowing that the man who had their friend's face was their best-and really, their only-option now.

          To his relief, Tirin nodded, "Of course I can help! Wouldn't be a very good adventurer if I couldn't take care of something as easy as a spider bite!"

          He reached around and dug his hand into a small satchel tied to his waist, and Yu thought he could hear the muffled sounds of tinkling vials before he pulled it free. A small, oval bottle sat in Tirin's hands, a viscous green liquid swirling within. He quickly pulled the stopper and held it out to Naoto, "Can you manage?"

          She nodded and grabbed the bottle with a shaky hand, but before she could tip the contents into her mouth, Yosuke stepped in, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, are we sure this is okay?"

          "Yosuke-senpai . . ." Naoto interjected, words running with an undercurrent of pain, "I do not believe . . . that now is the time to be choosy over where our aid comes from."

          The brown-haired boy bit his lip, but stepped back, and Yu placed a quick, comforting hand on his shoulder to ensure him it would be fine. So far, this otherworldly stranger had done them no wrong. And like Naoto said, they weren't exactly spoiled for choice.

          Seeing that he was sufficiently mollified, Naoto drank the liquid within, a cringe of disgust twisting her features as she downed it. When the last drop was gone, she dropped her hand and sighed, eyes closed as if in sleep.

          "Naoto?" Yu prompted in the silence that followed.

          Swallowing, she looked up and opened her eyes again, nodding slightly in reassurance, "I'm . . . alright. Whatever this vial contained, it's quite potent."

          "I hope so, otherwise I've been swindled!" Tirin declared, slipping back into a front of carefree cheerfulness. Turning on his heel, he started walking away from the group, steps light and confident over the battle-scarred and web-covered ground. He stopped at the edge of the spider's lair, looking back at them from over his shoulder before gesturing for them to follow, "Come on! There's a place near here where we can camp! We can talk more there!"

          He carried on as if he fully expected them to follow, and Yu realized that in reality, they didn't really have a choice. All the same, he stepped forward and raised his voice, "Wait!"

          The man stopped and looked back at him, ear cocked and eye flickering with a shred of impatience, "Y-es?"

          "Can you give us a few minutes to talk? We'll be quick," he said, hoping to gather a few precious minutes to talk this over with his friends.

          Tirin shrugged, "Alright. Just don't take too long!"

          He turned back to the group, knowing they only had a limited time to decide. But for a decision like this, it was only fair to leave it to the rest of them, "So? Are you all comfortable with following him?"

          "'Comfortable' isn't the word I'd use. This is all just . . . so _bizarre_ ," Yosuke said, running a hand through his hair. He then waved a his free hand where the man was, "We wake up in a cave, get chased by a _giant fucking spider_ , and then we're saved by someone who . . . I mean, he's . . . he looks _exactly_ like Teddie, but he's . . . ugh, I don't know _what_ he is!"

          "He is weird," Yukiko said, eyebrows knitted together, "I mean, is he really our Teddie, or is he someone else?"

          "Of c-c-c-course he isn't your T-T-T-Teddie, because _I'm_ your T-T-T-Teddie!" the bear protested loudly through his chattering teeth, drawing the jacket tighter around his shoulders.

          "O-oh, I'm sorry, Teddie, I didn't mean it like that," Yukiko amended, face apologetic.

          Teddie sniffed and continued, "I d-d-d-don't like h-h-him. Anyone who t-t-t-tries to steal m-m-my charming looks is o-o-obviously up to kn-kn-know g-g-good!"

          "For one, I actually agree with you . . ." Yosuke mumbled.

          In the brief lull that followed, Chie stepped up, looking a little spooked as she rocked for one foot to the other, ". . . Did . . . did anyone else see his eyes? They weren't . . . they weren't normal."

          "His skin's all . . . glowy too," Kanji said, jaw lined with tension as he stared at the stranger with a guarded look, "He ain't human, whatever he is."

          Yu had to agree, and the looks everyone shared said they were of the same opinion. It wasn't Tirin's inhuman nature that irked him, not really. He counted numerous inhuman entities amongst his circle of friends, after all. But it was obvious that wherever they were didn't involve shadows or robots or anything they were used to dealing with. This . . . 'Teddie' could be anything. Whether benign or not was something none of them would be able to tell.

          "I think this a discussion best reserved for when we are somewhere a little more secure," Naoto interjected, giving a pointed glance to the dead spider, "And right now, this . . . Tirin, as he calls himself, is the only one who knows where such a place may be found."

          "Yeah . . ." Rise mumbled, unconsciously gripping her elbow with a hand, "But, he did save our lives, and if he's anything like our Teddie . . . we can trust him, right?"

          "For now, that's all we can do," Naoto said solemnly.

          "So we're all agreed. We follow?" Yu asked.

          Hesitation followed for a few moments . . . then soft, quiet murmurs of assent were given, slight nods shared as their dangerous circumstances outweighed suspicion.

          "Yeah, I guess. Like Naoto-kun said, that's all we can do," Chie said.

          "We'll be fine though, right? We're together, that has to count for something," Yukiko added.

          Rise nodded, "She's right. If nothing else, we know we can rely on each other."

          "Tch, that really need sayin?" Kanji asked, a small, good-humored smile flashing over his face, "We already know we got each other's backs."

          "Still, given our situation, it is . . . good to hear it," Naoto said, smiling.

          "Indeed," Yu agreed, feeling a measure of pride swell in his heart for his friends and the maturity at which they handled their situation.

          Yosuke crossed his arms, "Still, lets keep an eye on this guy, okay Partner? We can trust each other with our lives, but we can't say the same about him."

          Yu clapped an encouraging hand against his shoulder, "Of course. We won't allow ourselves to fall into a trap. If things start getting suspicious, we'll find our own way."

          Yosuke nodded and smiled, eyes flashing with gratitude for Yu understanding his concern.

          "Right-o!" Teddie said, snapping to attention despite his quaking limbs, sniffling, "L-l-l-leave it t-t-to me!"

          "Yyyyeah . . . no offense Ted, but I think I'll keep my own eyes open anyway," Yosuke muttered.

          Reaching down, Yu quickly plucked Naoto's hat from off the floor and nodded, "Alright, let's go. And here . . ." he placed the hat on the girl's head, smiling softly, "You probably don't want to leave that behind."

          "No, I do not," Naoto agreed with a soft, if shaky, smile of her own, "Thank you, Senpai."

          He turned and walked, the others falling in step behind him. They'd follow him to the ends of the earth, he knew. He'd have to make sure that, in this strange and hostile place they'd fallen into, he didn't let them down.

          Tirin, who'd taken to leaning against a stalagmite with his hands laced behind his head, looked over when he heard their approach, blue-gray eyes twinkling almost eerily in the dark, "So? Ready now?"

          Yu nodded, ignoring the stinging protest of his feet as he spoke for them all, "Yes. We are."

          Tirin smiled, giving a sprightly and slightly embellished bow as he chirped, "Great! Then allow me, your new and certified Underdark guide to show you the way!"

          Before he could ask what an 'underdark' was, the man turned and strode away, and all he and the others could do was follow him into the dark.

(--------)

          The path they traversed felt long and winding, turning left and right through a myriad number of caves that seemed to have no rhyme or reason to them, to the point Yu seriously wondered how Tirin was navigating them at all. The tunnel they were currently in was sloping down at an incline, the narrow walls making it so they had to go single-file, the claustrophobic space making his skin crawl. The rough stone was now dry underfoot, but it felt like sandpaper against his raw skin. That wasn't the biggest problem. The biggest problem was that his feet were starting to go numb, and it went without saying that those who also lacked proper footwear were suffering the effects of prolonged exposure as well. Yukiko had already tried offering her shoes to Chie and Rise, but the offer was quickly declined with smiles and disparaging quips. Naoto might have made the offer as well, but Yu and Kanji both put their foot down on that. She wasn't in much of position to argue, either.

          Teddie wasn't doing so hot either, sniffing every minute or so and falling into a state of miserable silence as time progressed, a silence that didn't sit well with Yu at all. It didn't help that every distant, unknown noise would set them all on edge, to the point where they were constantly being followed by a cloud of nervous tension.

          Their peculiar 'guide' didn't seem bothered by the sounds, or even by the fact that they had a member among their group who looked like him. He took it all in a strangely calm stride that spoke of a level of . . . he wouldn't say 'comfort' . . . maybe desensitization? Either way, he was obviously used to this sort of environment and the oddities that came with it.

          Speaking of oddities, he found that instead of torches, the stranger used small, oval rocks that gave off a bright white glow that banished the darkness, lighting their way quite effectively. One sat in his own hand now, heavy and strangely cool despite the warm light it shed. In Tirin's own words, 'I keep them around for people who can't see in the dark.'

          Implying that he . . . saw in the dark.

          God, he was looking forward to those answers.

          "Hey, are we almost there?" Chie asked from somewhere in the back.

          "Mhm!" Tirin responded without looking back, feet gliding confidently across the stone, "In fact, right around this corner!"

          He made a sharp right and vanished from sight, and Yu had to stop in surprise as the cave suddenly opened wide into what he could only call a yawning chasm into the abyss. A ledge jutted out before him, maybe ten feet wide, before abruptly cutting off into a vertical slant that vanished into darkness. On the opposite side of the ledge rose a sheer wall of stone that merged with a stalactite-ridden ceiling, the tips of which he could only just see with the light of the stone in his hand. The space beyond the ledge held absolutely nothing, no landmarks of any sort, just a deep, dark emptiness that lead to nothing. If there was a floor, it was impossible to see. A cold wind rose up from the darkness, pulling at his clothes and hair, the crisp smell of sediment rock and earth perfuming the gust. Just looking at the void before him made his head spin, and he did not fancy traveling along this-in his eyes-perilously thin ledge.

          "Come on!" the man called from further up, glancing back at Yu with a confident smile, "It's not that hard! One foot in front of the other, you'll be fine!"

          "Partner, what's going on?" Yosuke asked, unable to see the yawning pit for himself.

          Swallowing, Yu squared his shoulders and lifted his voice, "Guys, take this next bit slow! And don't look down!"

          "What?" Yosuke asked, and Yu could imagine him furrowing his eyebrows in puzzlement.

          "Just trust me on this," Yu said. Taking a quick, calming breath, he carefully maneuvered out onto the ledge, keeping one hand braced against the wall and his eyes resolutely forward, trying not to look at the dizzying plunge next to him.

          "Ho-ly _shit!_ " Yu paused and slowly looked back until his eyes landed on Yosuke, who was staring open-mouthed at the chasm below. His voice did not echo back, however, the cry swallowed by the abyss itself.

          "Yosuke, eyes on me," Yu said, keeping his voice calm and level, "Keep walking and don't look down."

          Yosuke's adam's apple bobbed, lips pressed into a tight, nervous line as he forced his eyes away from the pit and onto Yu. He nodded encouragement, keeping his back pressed against the wall to allow his friend to pass, helping him along with a sure and steadying grip. He wished he could go on doing so, but he had to remain for his other friends, who'd soon be needing the same helping hand. He wanted to be in a position where he could help his friend's along, to give reassuring words to ease their fears.

          Slowly, one by one, the rest of his friends all filed out onto the ledge, faces pale but spurred on by their leader's encouraging words. It was only when Chie, who'd taken up the rear, finally passed that Yu pushed himself back up and followed, keeping a very careful eye on his friends and the path they walked. The ledge seemed to curve around the wall before them, leading to places unknown. They all pressed close to the stone wall, keeping as far from the ledge as humanely possible, the light from their stones the only thing pushing back the dense shadows that surrounded them. They must be very visible against the rock, and that made him feel incredibly exposed and vulnerable. If something like that spider was nearby, they'd have no trouble picking them out . . .

          Then, like a god-send, Tirin's voice echoed from up ahead, "Here it is! Right where I left it, too!"

          Everyone sighed in relief, and as the line shuffled forward, it soon became clear where they were headed.

          A large crack ran down the side of the cavernous wall, the base of which ended right beside the ledge. It was only about four feet wide, but it was easy enough to slip inside, and Yu thought he could the faint sound of splashing water echo from within. The narrow cleft continued for maybe ten feet in before widening out into a sheltered cave almost spherical in shape, the ceiling roughly twenty feet overhead and spacious enough for everyone to fit. Holding his glowing stone high to shed some light, it became clear that some of the rocks around them had a faint fuzz of moss coating their surface, wild mushrooms growing along the cracks in bulbous patches, some as big as his head. At the very back, he could just make out a small waterfall pouring down through a narrow fissure in the wall, splashing into a tiny rock basin that drained out through a moss-laden rivulet that vanished into the cracks. His friends were already plunking down on the floor, sighing in relief as weight was finally taken off their aching feet.

          "Finally," Rise breathed, rubbing the tops of her feet, "I was starting to think we'd never get here."

          "Me too," Yosuke agreed, looking over the cuts that marred his skin. His lip curled, "Don't suppose anyone has any neosporin on them?"

          "No. I'm sorry . . ." Yukiko mumbled, eyes shadowed with guilt as she looked from one torn up foot to the next.

          "Don't worry about it, senpai," Kanji said from where he'd settled next to Naoto, who was leaning back against the cave wall, "Hell, s'not like any of us expected to get thrown ass-backwards into . . . whatever this place is."

          "Maybe that guy has something? Tirin, right?" Chie inquired, glancing at the gap where'd they'd squeezed in from.

          "We can ask him when he comes inside," Yu said, sitting down himself and exhaling as the continues pain from his feet finally abated. Realistically, he knew the pain should be worse. He just hoped Tirin had more of that strange potion that had helped them before. Perhaps this place's equivalent of a Medicine?

          Rise's quiet voice made him look up, "Hey Teddie, are you okay?"

          Yu glanced at the blonde-haired boy, and felt pity flush through his core. The poor bear was shaking like a leaf, the jacket no longer offering as much warmth as it once had as the water from his clothes seeped into the fabric. Still, he looked up and offered Rise as charming smile (or at least, an attempt to one), chattering, "Ah, R-R-Rise-chan! You're w-w-w-words of c-c-concern are like a s-s-s-sunny d-d-day!"

          "Words of a maiden fair oft give light like the spring air.~"

          Yu jerked his head to the left to the face the gap, where the enigmatic Tirin had come waltzing in. An easy-going smile was on his face as he idly carved up something in his hands, the glint of knife flashing from between his gloved fingers. When everyone's eyes were on him, his smile grew just a little bigger and he continued in a conversational manner, "Unfortunately, there isn't any spring air down here, so you're going to have to make do with this."

           He tossed something Teddie's way, the bear crying out as the object bounced between his flailing hands until he managed to get a good grip on it. When he held it up, Yu had to quirk an eyebrow in puzzlement. It looked like a thin slice of a mushroom cap, the folded ridges within hued a warm red while the skin was colored orange.

          Teddie gave it a suspicious sniff, "W-w-what is it?"

          "Something that'll help with the cold. Just eat it," Tirin said as he strode passed the group, taking a seat on a semi-large boulder near the back beside the pool. Placing his ankle atop his knee, he began shifting through his satchel again, not bothering to check if Teddie had actually eaten the fibrous plant.         

          Yu noticed that Teddie was looking at him expectantly, as if waiting for him to give the okay. Yu contemplated it for only a moment before nodding, "Go ahead."

          The bear pursed his lips, but then squared his shoulders, "Ok-k-k-kay, if Sensei thinks it's good, it's g-g-good!"

          With that, he shoved the entire thing into his mouth and chewed, cringing but forcing himself to swallow. He stuck his tongue out when it went down, "Blegh! Spicy . . ."

          After a moment, Yu pressed, "So? Feeling any better?"

          "Actually . . ." Teddie started, staring at his hands in thought. Then, a smile began to spread across his face, Yu noticing with relief that the shivers were subsiding, "I feel grrr _reat_! It's like a warm kotatsu right in my heart, all warm and toasty and nice!"

          "That's what it's supposed to do!" Tirin commented. He glanced up, gesturing to Teddies' clothes and adding with a finger, "But you should probably take those off. Wet clothes and dark, dank caves don't mix."

          Teddie pursed his lips, "And expose myself to the world like a newborn! I think not!"

          Tirin shrugged, "Well, don't say I didn't warn you. Aha!" the man held up his hands, evidently finding what he had been searching for, "Here we go!"

           In one of Tirin's hands was a roll of bandages, something Yu would not say no too, while in the other was a small jar no wider than his palm. Holding it up and giving it a soft shake, he said, "Now, let's fix those footsies, huh? Ladies first, of course!"

          The group was only just beginning to share befuddled stares when a low whispering from the gap made them all freeze. All eyes shot to the narrow cleft, the knuckles of Yu's fingers going white as he gripped the rock beneath him. What could possibly be happening _now_?

          "Calm down, kiddies, it's just Xirskam," Tirin said, hopping off the boulder and walking coolly to where the whispering came from.

          "Xir- _what?_ " Yosuke asked, stupefied gaze landing on the man.

          "Xir- _skam_ ," Tirin enunciated, gazing at Yosuke with a raised eyebrow as his hands went to his hips, "Don't you remember the Shade who stopped that spider from taking a chunk out of your friend?"

          Yu shivered at the memory, remembering the gleam of it's fangs all too clearly. But what 'shade' was he . . . ?

          Realization hit him like lightning. He meant the shadow!

          "Wait, you _know_ that thing that jumped the spider?!" Chie asked, face utterly bewildered as she came to the same conclusion.

          "Mhm! Don't worry, he's a friend," Tirin said. Behind him, the whispering intensified, and Yu could swear he saw two tiny specks of white light gleam from the darkness. A shiver went down his spine at the thought of the shadows there being more alive than he'd previously thought, inhabited by a creature that lingered just out of sight. Such a being begged the question . . . just what else existed in this impossible place?

          Tirin, who'd cocked his head in the whispering's direction, listened intently before giving a curt nod, "Okay, I need to go check something real quick. Here."

          He tossed the bandages and the jar to Yu, who caught them before they hit the ground, "Use that salve on your feet, just enough to cover the cuts, then bandage them tight. _Don't_ leave the cave. I'll be back in a flash!"

          Before anyone could say anything, he stepped into the darkness and disappeared as if he were a shadow himself.

          " . . . well, that was . . . something," Yosuke said before pinching the bridge of his nose and mumbling, "Jesus christ . . ."

          "We're all confused, Yosuke," Yu said, turning to practicality, "But now we'll just have to wait. In the meantime, let's take care of our wounds."

          He handed the bandages to Yukiko, who wasted no time in tearing off adequate sized strips for everyone in preparation for use. Meanwhile, Yu unscrewed the jar, pulling back at the pungent scent that hit his nose as the cap fell away. It was . . . like an odiferous mix of rotten fungus and wet soil, almost overwhelming to the senses.

          "Eugh, that's ripe!" Chie said, covering her nose with the hem of her sleeve.

          Yu was inclined to agree with her, but sensibility overcame his disgust, "Well, we can't be choosy. We'll just have to bear with it for now."

          Steeling himself, he scooped out a small helping of it on his fingers, cringing at the slimy consistency, the substance slicking his fingers with a wetness that felt like oil. He passed it to Yosuke next, who took it reluctantly, face pinched as he stared into the jar. Trusting the others to do what needed to be done, Yu leaned over and pressed the salve against his damaged skin.

          He jerked his hand back instantly, biting his lip to keep from crying out as his cuts seared to life, the wounds burning like fire!

          "S-Senpai, are you okay?" Rise asked in alarm, reaching out to him.

          He held up a reassuring hand, trying not to wince, and probably failing, "Yes, I'm fine. It just stung more than I expected . . ."

          " _Ah!_ " Yosuke cried out, quickly finding out for himself how potent the salve was, "Crap, just what the hell is in this stuff?!"

          "Maybe it's like hydrogen peroxide," Yukiko supplied with a smile, "If it hurts, that means it's working!"

          "Well, glad you can be so optimistic," Yosuke muttered, glaring at the oily substance still on his hands.

          Teddie, who was holding the jar now, began to slowly offer it out to Chie, "U-um, I think I'll be okay. Besides, what sort of gentleman would I be if I didn't let the ladies treat their aches and pains first?"

          "Don't I just feel special . . ." Chie mumbled.

          "Teddie," Yu spoke up, and the boy gave him his immediate attention, "You've dealt with worse things than this. We all have. Just grit your teeth and get through it. Okay?"

          "Yeah, that's definitely true," Yosuke nodded in agreement. With a good-natured smile, he added, "Guess we kinda are being babies about it, huh?"

          "Just a bit. But we'll get through it," Yu said, smiling back.

          Teddie looked between Yu and Yosuke before puffing out his chest and declaring, "Rrright! Let the manliest man win!"

          "This isn't a competition, you know," Yukiko said softly, but her words mostly went unheard as Teddie scooped out a generous amount before passing it to Kanji.

          The flow restored, Yu let out a short breath before reaching down with the salve once more. He winced hard as the burning intensified again, but he dutifully rubbed the ointment until both soles were lathered in the stuff. Yukiko swooped in as soon as he was done, tying the bandages neatly around his feet with an ease born of numerous practice. Once they were in place, he sighed as the sting lessened to a tingle, a buzz that was uncomfortable but not as painful as before.

          "Ouch, ow, ow, ow, ouch, ouch, ow . . ." Teddie was chanting over and over again as he spread the salve on.

          "Damn, this stuff stings," Kanji mumbled tightly, giving a brief glance at the ointment on his fingers before continuing.

          "I'll say," Chie agreed, but there was a smile on her face, one she wore whenever she was presented with a challenge, "But its a good burn! Mean's its doing its job!"

          "That's one way of looking at it. Ouch . . ." Rise winced, patting the substance against her skin.

          Yukiko went to everyone like a nurse in a hospital ward, not leaving until she sure the bandages were good and tight. Yu had to wonder if her diligence partly had something to do with the fact that she'd been one of the lucky few to be brought with shoes.

          She stopped in front of Naoto with the excess bandages, asking, "Naoto-kun, do you need any- . . . oh? Naoto-kun?"

          Yu leaned over to see what was wrong, only for his expression to soften when he saw Naoto's head drooped against her chest, eyes closed and face relaxed. She'd fallen asleep. It would certainly explain why he hadn't heard any input from her in the last few minutes.

          "Aw, poor Naoto-kun . . ." Rise whispered, giving her friend a pitying look.

          "Well, what'dya expect?" Yosuke asked, voice low in light of their sleeping companion, "She probably got hit the hardest out of any of us."

          "Let her sleep," Yu said, leaning back against the stone. Aside from her wounds, her body could very well be fighting of the remaining dregs of the spider's venom. Sleep would ensure a faster recovery.

          Truthfully, seeing Naoto like that made him aware of just how tired _he_ was. He hadn't gotten the proper night's rest from the evening before. Throw that in with a spider chase, adrenaline, confusion, fear, and his injuries, it was no wonder he felt drained. But he had a heavy suspicion that he wouldn't be able to sleep. Not here, where seemingly every rock and shadow hid a potential threat. He glanced around at his friends and saw fatigue his reflected there, but it was overshadowed by wariness, a wariness he understood completely.

          "False alarm!~"

          Everyone snapped to attention as Tirin reemerged from the gloom, striding back over to his boulder and reclaiming his seat with a graceful hop. He gave a quick, cursory glance at their bandaged feet and nodded, "And good, you patched up nicely! One less thing to worry about! Now then . . ."

          He crossed one leg over the other and leaned back with his hands braced against the stone, lips curled up into a smile as his blue-gray eyes gleamed, piercing, "I think we have some things to talk about, don't we?"


	4. Definitely Not in Kansas Anymore

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoy! Oh, and feedback on Tirin's character would be nice! ^.^

          "Yeah, I'd say we do," Yosuke jumped on the chance for answers immediately, leaning forward with a tight frown on his face, "For starters, just where the hell are we?!"

          "And how did we even get here?" Chie asked, crossing her arms over her chest. A faint flare of suspicion creased her face, accusation lacing her tone, " _You_ wouldn't happen to know, would you?"

          Tirin pouted, sounding hurt, "Oh, Lady Chie, still so suspicious even now? That hurts."

          "Hey, just get to the point," Kanji growled.

          "And don't call me 'Lady Chie', that's . . . _weird_ ," Chie added, tucking her arms a little closer to her body.

          "Yeah, only dashing princes hold that right!" Teddie sniffed, lips pursed and eyes narrowed. Chie groaned.

          Tirin held up his hands, waving them down, "Alright, alright, I get the picture," dropping his hands, he continued, "Okay, first things first, you're in the Underdark."

          "Underdark?" Yukiko echoed, eyebrows furrowed together.

          "You've mentioned that name before," Yu stated evenly, keeping his tone carefully neutral, "But we don't know what that is. If you could elaborate, it would be appreciated."

          "Well, if you want history lessons, you'd be better off asking Nyras," Tirin replied, lazily swinging a leg and not bothering to explain who 'Nyras' was, "But basically, the Underdark, besides being home to yours truly, is a bunch of caves that span miles underground, right below the continent of Andalar!"

          A beat of silence, and Tirin tacked on, "Aaand I'm going to take that silence to mean you don't know what that is either!"

          _He would most definitely be right,_ Yu thought. Andalar? Had it been a country, or a state, he would have wholly accepted never having heard of it before. There's only so much about geography he could learn from books. But an entire _continent_ . . . ?

          "Whoa, whoa, whoa, hang on a sec . . ." Yosuke said, a nervous pitch entering his tone, "A _continent_? Th-Th-That's gotta be wrong, there's no _way_ we wouldn't have heard about an eighth continent springing up overnight!"

          "Asia, North America, South America, Australia . . ." Yukiko mumbled softly, counting each one off with a finger.

          Yu looked to Tirin, mouth feeling strangely dry as he asked, "And . . . is that the only one?"

          "Only continent? Course not!" Tirin rubbed the back of his head, looking thoughtful and somewhat embarrassed, "Although, heh, I don't know a lot about the others. Hm, I know there's Verisad just across the Opalite Sea because of the war . . . but that's about it."

          Another span of silence stretched over them, and Yu felt his stomach twist as he processed the information. Not just one, but two unknown continents, neither of which struck even a cord of familiarity with him. And a _war_? He hadn't heard of any wars going on, last he'd heard. How could that be possible, unless . . .

          "L-look, I know I ain't the smartest guy when it comes to this stuff . . ." Kanji spoke up, "But even I know that those places you're talkin' about don't exist! S-spill it! You're just tryin' to freak us out, aren't you?"

          Tirin tilted his head to one side, an eyebrow curving up at the accusation, "No?"

          "But then, how come we've never heard of them? By the way you're talking, you'd think we'd landed on some other world!" Chie shouted. There was silence for a moment, and slowly, her eyes widened in stark, terrifying realization, "Oh no . . ."

          "That . . . can't be right," Rise said, looking to the others as she started to shake, "We can't be on some other world, that's just . . . just . . ."

          "Just the only thing that makes sense . . ." Yosuke half-whispered the statement, as if the only way to grasp the truth was to speak it aloud. And . . . as utterly bizarre and outlandish the concept was, Yu was beginning to grasp the tenuous threads of their reality for himself.

          "Yosuke-!" Chie shouted, looking as if she were about to jump on him to keep him quiet.

          "No, Chie, he's right," Yu interrupted her, feeling his heart sink. Her wide eyes fell on him, as did everyone's, searching for answers he felt he couldn't truly supply, but had to give nonetheless. Swallowing down his apprehension, Yu continued, "Look at what we know. Two continents we've never heard, giant spiders are real, the fact that none of us have any idea how we even got here . . . besides, it was clear from the beginning that we weren't home. And . . . it's not as if we don't know other worlds exist."

          A deep, uneasy silence fell over the group, everyone shifting uncomfortably where they sat as they processed his words. But all around, Yu could see that they, too, were beginning to realize what had been in front of their noses the whole time, as well as the deeply unsettling fact that home was much, much farther away than any of them could have anticipated.

          "So . . . i-if we're not in my world . . . and we're not in yours . . . then where are we, Sensei?" Teddie inquired in an unusually soft voice, twiddling his fingers together.

          Yu frowned, and closed his eyes, unable to give him an answer. He truly had no idea . . .

          "But how is that possible?" Yukiko questioned, wringing her hands together, "None of us were near a tv, were we?"

          "I . . . don't think any of this has anything to do with the tv, Yukiko-san," Yosuke said, looking at the floor, "Not this time."

          "But then, what?" Rise asked, looking from him, to Yu, and back again, voice rising as she spoke, " _What_ could have possibly happened to bring us all here?"

          "And how the fuck do we get out of it?!" Kanji yelled, nervousness of the unknown and the worry it brought teasing out his more irate nature.

          "Everyone, calm down," Yu said, urging for peace before everyone lost their cool, "Yes, its strange. Yes, none of us have a clue how it happened. But panicking won't help us. It never has."

          Then, another voice spoke up, quiet and sleep-worn, but still very clear, "Yes. The best we can do is try and look at this rationally and go from there."

          "N-Naoto-!" Kanji exclaimed, hand going out as if to support her again, only pulling back at the last second.

          "N-Naoto-kun?!" Yukiko started in unison, jumping forward as her healer instincts bid her too, "Are you alright? Does anything hurt?"

          Naoto, who was leaning most of her weight against the wall, shook her head, speaking calmly, "I am fine, Yukiko-senpai. It's quite a wonder what a brief nap will fix. However, our focus should be on our predicament. I take it I didn't mishear about our being in another world?"

          Yu took a quick study of her appearance. She did look better, as far as he could see in the pale light, less stricken with pain and no longer quaking like before. Truly, that nap seemed to have worked wonders, "No, you didn't. Unfortunately."

          "Hm . . ." Naoto hummed ponderingly, folding her arms in a way she typically did when she was thinking, "If true, then our situation is more multifaceted than we originally assumed. However, we may not be so lost as you believe." She looked up, and her eyes, shining black in the watery white light, alighted on Tirin, "You seem to know something. Care to share?"

          Yu's own eyes fell on Tirin, who had casually leaned forward and looked as if he had been listening intently as the conversation wore on. With an internal wince, he realized too late that this man was still a borderline stranger regardless of his looks and that the topic at hand was not one for his ears. But it was too late to rescind the words spoken. He only hoped Tirin really meant them no ill will, especially seeing as the man displayed a shrewdness that hid beneath his outward friendliness.

          "Wha-? You know what's goin' on? Why the hell didn't you tell us?" Kanji demanded, rounding on the man.

          "If you know something, out with it!" Yosuke added, eyes narrowed.

          Tirin sat back, lips pursed into a small frown, unruffled despite their anger, "Hm . . . I might know something. I don't know if it'll help you, though."

          "Anything that could help us make sense of this would be helpful," Yu insisted, hoping that maybe, just maybe, Tirin would give them a thread to follow to the truth, "Please, whatever it is, we need to know."

          Tirin lifted a finger to his chin and gave Yu a long look. Then, he shrugged, "Alright. A few hours ago, I was traveling up the path we used when I felt a huge amount of portal magic near the area where I'm guessing you appeared."

          "Portal magic?" Rise echoed.

          Tirin nodded, "And a huge amount of it. Like, the amount I've only felt before at the World Wound. When I tracked it, I found you. At first, I thought you were the ones responsible for it, so I kept my distance. But it . . . sort of became obvious that you weren't. No offense."

          "Wait, 'kept your distance'? Does that mean you were following us even before we met that stupid spider? Why didn't you help us before then?!" Yosuke demanded, looking livid.

          Tirin brushed his angry claims aside with a wave of his hand, shrugging, "I had to make sure you weren't just polymorphed imposters. I mean, anyone who can create that much magic in one go isn't something even _I_ can take on by myself. But like I said, it became obvious that that wasn't the case. I mean . . ." he lightly scratched the underside of his jaw with a finger, "Half of you didn't even have shoes."

          Everyone shuffled their feet almost unconsciously, and Kanji grumbled, "Hey, s'not like we expected to get dropped on our asses here . . ."

          "On the subject of our predicament," Naoto said, steering the topic back on course, "You said something about . . . portal magic?"

          "Mhm!" Tirin hummed, "I don't know a lot about magic by itself, and I don't really know how it works, but I do know what it feels like. I'm pretty positive that's what brought you here."

          "Hang on, do you mean like . . . serious magic? Like cauldrons and broomsticks and shit?" Kanji asked, looking mystified.

          Yukiko gasped, "A witch brought us here!?"

          "Slow down there, Yukiko," Chie said, patting her friend on the arm. She then looked at Tirin, "But . . . is that really true? About the magic, I mean?"

          "Um . . ." Tirin started, looking a little confused, "I know witches exist, if that's what you're trying to ask me. So do sorcerers. And wizards! I don't know any wizards, though. But they could definitely be the ones who made the portal!"

          Witches and sorcerers and wizards . . . Yu could honestly say he'd hadn't expected that. True, as he'd found out magic wasn't exactly unheard of in his world. But it required a persona, and that wasn't exactly a common thing. As far as he knew, only his friends and the Shadow Operatives had personas, and none of them went around calling themselves 'wizards', that was for sure.

          But even with this revelation, something told him that it was far from the last thing they'd discover. After all, if magic could exist here . . . then anything could.

          "Wizards . . . sorcerers . . . for _real_?" Yosuke half mumbled to himself, shaking his head in disbelief, "Dude, just what kind of world do you live in? Next you're gonna be telling me dragons are real and that you're friends with one!"

          "But they are real, Yosuke," Tirin replied casually, "And I actually am friends with one."

          . . .

          Yosuke's mouth fell open, a faint, stuttering noise escaping the back of his throat as real words failed to form. Everyone else was staring too, eyes stretched wide and full of shock, most unable to even articulate words as their jaws were too far on the floor to work properly.

          "Are . . . a-are you _serious_?!" Kanji asked, voice pitched and full of disbelief.

          "H-holy crap . . . real _dragons_?" Chie whispered, leaning back on her hands as if she could fall over at any moment.

          "You mean like the b-big, fire-breathing menaces that harass innocent princesses who need strong, strapping knights to rescue them from?" Teddie asked, looking equal parts frightened and strangely interested as he picked at his fingers.

          "That is . . . I can't . . ." Rise said, pressing a hand to her head.

          "Well . . . given all we've encountered and learned . . . we can't truly say that its implausible," Naoto said, though even she looked a little shaken.

          "Permission to still be shocked?" Yu asked her, as he was honestly starting to feel a little light-headed from all of this.

          ". . . Granted."

          "Do you really not have dragons where you're from?" Tirin asked, looking genuinely curious.

          "Wha-? _No_ , we don't have dragons!" Yosuke snapped, finding his voice again.

          Tirin hummed in wonder, "That's . . . interesting. I wonder what else your world doesn't have . . ."

          "Perhaps we can discuss the disparities after we've first figured out a way back to our world," Naoto intervened quickly, "Not to say you are wrong in being curious, but I'm sure you can understand our urgency."

          Tirin pouted, "Oh, and I thought it would be nice to trade stories . . . but alright, I see your point."

          "You seem . . . oddly okay with us being from another world," Yukiko commented.

          Yu glanced at her, then back at Tirin. Now that she mentioned it, he was taking this all very calmly. Much more calmly than they were taking in his world, at any rate.

          Tirin only shrugged, "I know about other worlds too. Sort of. We call them the Planes here. It's not exactly big news to people. And, believe it or not, you're not the weirdest thing I've seen," a devilish smile crossed his face, "Of course, I could never call meeting no less than four fair beauties 'weird'!"

          "Charming," Rise said, tone flat.

          "I try," Tirin said with a one-armed shrug.

          Teddie growled, "Grr, these fair beauties are already spoken for! So paws off!"

          Tirin's smile only grew wider and more cat-like, "Ooh, is that a challenge?"

          "Hey, we aren't 'spoken for' for anyone, so can it!" Chie snapped.

          "I can already see this becoming way more annoying than it should be," Rise added softly, looking morose at the thought.

          "If we could get back to the topic at hand!" Naoto interjected sharply, patience wearing thinner than usual. Perhaps she wasn't as recovered as he'd thought, "Tirin, is there anything more you can tell us about this 'portal' you sensed?"

          Tirin shook his head, "Nope. It happened pretty quickly. It's gone now, and I have no idea who or what caused it."

          "I see . . ."

          "How'dya sense it?" Kanji asked, "Did you . . . smell it?"

          "Smell . . . a portal?" Tirin asked incredulously, crossing his arms. Incredibly, he looked offended, "I'm not a Grimlock, I'm a Gloaming. I just . . . feel portals when they happen. So no, I don't 'smell' it."

          Yu perked his ears up at the unknown word, curiosity spurring him speak, "A . . . Gloaming?"

          "Yes, a Gloaming," a small smile of amusement appeared on his lips, "What, you didn't actually think I was human, did you?"

          Everyone shared a look. No, they hadn't thought he was human, but . . . none were sure how to ask him what he was. Yu hadn't even been sure if it had been _safe_ to ask before.

          Luckily, Yukiko swept in with a save, "W-well, uh . . . it's not that we didn't notice that . . . things-I mean, you-were different . . . it just seemed a little rude to ask."

          Good cover.

          "But, uh, since you said it . . . what's a Gloaming?" Chie asked, and everyone else leaned forward just so as interest peaked.

          Tirin shrugged, "Just what I am, Chie. Most Gloamings live in the Underdark, like me. But originally, we came from the Shadow Plane. I also know some still live there, too," he scratched at his cheek, "But that's, uh, really all I know."

          "Shadow Plane?" Naoto inquired, attention locked on the man.

          "The Shadow Plane is, uh . . . well, I guess you could say it's like an elemental plane of darkness? Or a dark version of the Material Plane . . ." Tirin waved his hands around helplessly, "Ugh, it's hard to explain unless I take you there! But, I don't think you want to go. Most people from this Plane don't like it. Korval sure didn't . . ."

          He shook his head, "But, point is, that's where Gloamings come from."

          Yu opened his mouth to inquire further about this, but Rise beat him to the punch, "So . . . does that mean you're . . . a Shadow?"

          "A Shadow?" Tirin suddenly threw his head back and laughed, the sound bouncing off the walls before falling silent, "No, I'm not like Xirskam! I'm not _part_ of the darkness, or formed from it, or anything like that! I'm just connected to it!"

          Yu pursed his lips. Of course, Tirin wouldn't know what that word meant, at least in relation to them. But he understood why Rise had asked. The strange parallel between Tirin and Teddie was not lost on him, even if their individual circumstances were different.

          Hm, this might explain the whole 'see in the dark' comment from earlier too, now that he thought about it . . .

          "Wait, so Xir-what's-its-name is a Shadow?" Yosuke probed, glancing uneasily at the fissure leading outside.

          "Xir- _skam_ ," Tirin enunciated slowly, lifting an eyebrow in an almost condescending fashion, "It's really not that hard to pronounce, Yosu-ke."

          Yosuke growled, "Whatever!"

          "But anyway, yes, Xirskam's a shadow. Shade, to be accurate. He's been my friend for a long time now," Tirin said.

          "So it's your . . . friend," Chie repeated, looking unsure.

          Tirin nodded, "Mhm! Don't worry, everyone always a little scared the first time they meet a Shade. But you'll get used to him!"

          The looks on everyone's faces said 'not likely', but no one tried to argue with him on that point. Still, so long as it was on their side, Yu wasn't going to try to start any fights. He'd really rather not be on the business side of those claws.

          Just then, another, unusually timid voice spoke up, "You said 'most Gloamings' . . . does that mean you're not the only one?"

          Yu found his gaze flicking over to Teddie, who's own eyes were fixed on the man with an unusual amount of intensity and . . . and something else. Something deeper, an emotion not usually given quarter on Teddie's light-hearted face . . .

          "No, of course not! I mean, I've only seen a few for myself, but I know others are out there. We usually just keep to ourselves," Tirin replied. He cocked his head to one side, eyes flashing with curiosity, "Why do you ask?"

          The emotion in Teddie's eyes grew deeper before they fell to the floor, the bear forcing out a quick dismissal, "Uh, nothing. N-no reason . . ."

          It was only then that Yu was able to put a name on the emotion.

          Jealousy.

          A pang of sorrow pulsed in his heart. Teddie never said it, and Yu had no doubt that he was quite satisfied with his friends companionship . . . but that didn't mean he couldn't occasionally want for something more. Someone like him, who understood what it was like to be a Shadow. But there were no others. In that regard, he was alone. Yu understood full well why Teddie might be just a little jealous.

          Yosuke noticed too, "Ted . . ."

          Tirin, already noticeably more observant than his counterpart, must have been aware that Teddie's sullen retraction from the conversation was more than just a passing state of timidity. But he made no comment on it, instead focusing on the group, "Well, like I said, that's all I know about the portal. But I think now would be a good time to stop this conversation and get some shut eye! We've got a ways to go when we wake up!"

          "H-huh?" Chie started, "Go? Go _where_?"

          "To the surface!" Tirin said as if it were obvious, "Look, I don't know the first thing about magic, but I know people who do. They're the best ones to ask about this, and they're on the surface, so that's where we have to go. If you wanna get home, you're going to have to trust me on this."

          "Well, we don't really got a choice . . ." Kanji muttered.

          "If you really can bring us to someone who can help, we'd appreciate it," Yu said. Truthfully, there were many more questions he still wished to ask Tirin; what the 'Planes' were, what other creatures existed in this world, what could they expect to see . . . but his eyelids were starting to weigh heavy, and he knew that sleep was incoming. Not just for him, but for everyone. In the morning, or whatever time of day it truly was, would be a more optimal time for such discussion.

          "Yep yep, I sure can!" With a smile, the man clapped his hands together, "Now, time to break out the bedrolls! And when I say that, I mean find a comfy rock to sleep on, because I only have one!"

          A collective groan was shared, Rise asking disbelievingly, "Seriously?"

          Tirin shrugged, "Hey, I wasn't expecting company. But, if you like, we can share one.~"

          "Pass," was her instant reply.

          The man only chuckled before hopping off the boulder he sat on, picking his way silently over the stone. Stooping down, he began collecting the glowing rocks piled at the center of their circle, stowing them away in his bag. With each vanished stone, the light grew progressively dimmer, until the shadows pressed in close to the point it was difficult to make out even the walls beside him. Tirin left one out, however, the light dim enough to not be uncomfortable, but bright enough to still see should they require it.

          "I'll take watch," Tirin said chipperly, standing upright, "The rest of you get some sleep. Oh, and you there, take this!"

          Teddie looked up and yelped when a bedroll suddenly flopped against his chest, the heavy blanket falling with a thud against the floor. Where in the world had Tirin procured that from?

          "Since your so adamant about not taking those clothes off, use that. Wouldn't do to have you catch hypothermia in the night!" Tirin said. Without waiting for a reply, he turned and headed fro the tunnel, a sprightly kick in his step.

          "Hey, we don't have to worry about you sneaking off in the middle of the night, do we?" Yosuke asked after him, looking uncomfortable with the thought of lowering his defenses around the man.

          "Hey, y _our_ the invaders from another world. I should be more worried about you!" Tirin shot back teasingly.

          "You're the one with the weapons," Yosuke pointed out, looking unamused, "We don't even have shoes."

          Tirin laughed, "Haha, relax! You don't have to worry about anything. Now, light's out! Goodnight!~"

          With that, he turned and vanished into the shadow, leaving the group alone.

          No one moved at first. Then, Yosuke slumped down against the floor with a soft _thud_ , sighing loudly, "Does anyone else feel like their brain's been through the ringer, or is it just me?"

          "No, definitely not just you," Chie said, running a hand over her face, "God, this day has been nuts."

          "Something tells me it's just going to get worse . . ."

          "No kidding," Rise said. She frowned at the rock beneath her, tapping it with a finger, "Ugh, I don't know if I'm going to get any sleep tonight. Not just this rock, but there's still so much I wanna know!"

          "I hear ya," Yosuke said, rolling over so he was on his stomach, "Like, _why_ are there two Teddies. We didn't actually ask that."

          "Assuming Tirin even had the answer himself," Naoto said. She crossed her arms, the brim of her hat casting her face in deep shadow as she lowered her head, "If I could offer a possible explanation, it could have something to do with the fact that this is another world. Possibly even another universe, if one believes such theories."

          "It's the best we got right now," Chie said, "Hell, dragons are real. I'll believe anything at this point."

          "Hm . . ." Yukiko hummed thoughtfully, lightly pulling at a loose thread on her sleeve, "If there's another Teddie here . . . do you think there might be a counterpart for all of us, too?"

          Her question struck them all momentarily dumb. Another him . . . Yu hadn't actually thought of that, what with everything going on. But . . . it made sense for there to be one. And if there was another him in this world . . . what was he like? Would he be wearing armor as well? Wielding swords? Or would he be a sorcerer, relying on magic to see him through a fight? Or could it even be that he was just a simple farmer, with a home and a pet cat and maybe even a family? The possibilities were . . . truly mind boggling. He could be _anything_ here, and that knowledge filled him with a sort of apprehensive excitement that was both thrilling and dizzying at the same time.

          "We . . . can't dismiss that possibility, either," Naoto said, and Yu could see the wonder in her blue eyes. A wonder that was shared by everyone present.

          "That's . . . that's both scary and really cool," Chie finally said, looking from face to the next. A giddy smile began to grow across her face, "I wonder what she's like! Do you think she's a kung-fu master?"

          "Save that movie stuff for home, Chie," Yosuke said.

          "Hey, I can dream!" Chie said defensively, "Besides, you'd probably just be some merchant kid anyway, not whatever your thinking of!"

          "H-hey, if other Ted can be some duel-wielding badass with a giant monster sidekick, then other me can be a magic-using ninja with a harem!"

          Yu winced on his friend's behalf as the girls leveled disgusted glares on the boy, who immediately flushed red, "N-nevermind, I take it back . . ."

          "You're lucky my feet are killing me right now, or else you'd _really_ know just how that comment made me feel," Chie threatened, eyes narrowed.

          "I-I-I can imagine," the boy stuttered.

          "Let's just hope other Yosuke's isn't such a pervert," Rise commented.

          "If he is, I'm sure other me can put him in his place just fine," Chie added with a grin, punching her fist into her other hand.

          "I'm sure you can, but let's hope such things aren't necessary," Yu said.

          "Hm . . . would our counterparts even know each other?" Yukiko asked, voice taking a somber edge, "Would other Chie and me be friends?"

          Chie frowned, "Um . . . that's a good question . . ."

          Yu glanced at the narrow fissure that led outside, "There's one way we can find out."

          The others followed his gaze, and Naoto quickly gathered his meaning, "Tirin would be the quickest way to ascertain that answer. We can ask him when we wake up."

          "That'd be pretty cool, if we were all friends here too," Kanji said. A grin appeared on his face, a childish sparkle glinting in his eyes, "Hey, maybe we're all an adventuring group of heroes? Ya know, like the kind ya read about in fairytales!"

          "That would be pretty neat," Rise agreed with a smile. She brushed a lock of hair over her shoulder, a faint blush coloring her cheeks, "And maybe . . . some of us even found love along the way?"

          She gave a not-so-subtle glance in Yu's direction, and he ran his nails along the back of one hand as a slight flush of embarrassment warmed his core. He was fully aware of Rise's crush on him, but he wasn't sure if he returned the feeling. He loved her just as much as any of his other friends, beyond a doubt, but as for something more . . . he didn't want to commit to a relationship he wasn't a hundred percent sure about. Rise deserved better than that.

          "This is all just speculation until we actually meet the people in question, if indeed, there is anyone to meet at all," Naoto stated wisely, "But I imagine we will find out soon enough. For now, we should probably try and get some sleep."

          Yu nodded, "Agreed."

          Everyone began to stretch out along the stone, trying to find a comfortable patch amongst the rock that wasn't too rough and painful. Thank goodness the moss carpeted much of it, giving the rock a layer of softness that would have made this arrangement much worse.

          "Ouch! Man, this sucks . . ." he heard Yosuke grumble beside him, "Don't suppose you're faring any better, partner?"

          "There's a rock sticking into my spine," he replied evenly, "Other than that, I'm quite comfy."

          "Sure . . ." rolling over, Yosuke lifted his voice a little, "Hey Ted, you've been quiet. What's up?"

          Yu craned his neck up and pinpointed the blonde sitting a little ways from them, arms wrapped around the still unrolled bedroll. At Yosuke's call, he looked up, startled, "U-uh, nothing! Just thinkin' about bear things, you know?"

          Yosuke and Yu shared a look, neither believing that for a moment. Sitting up, Yu said, "Why don't you spread out that bedroll so you can actually sleep in it? You've had a pretty rough day."

          Teddie pursed his lips, eyes falling back to the floor, "But everyone else had a rough day too . . . are you sure no one else needs it more? Like Nao-chan?"

          "I'll be fine, Teddie," Naoto chimed in reassuringly, "Besides, as Tirin said, you have the wet clothes. I'd rather you use it."

          "Mm . . ."

          Yosuke sat up this time, urging the bear over with a hand, "Come on, get over here. I'll help you unroll it."

          Teddie moved closer as he was asked and let Yosuke take the pack, watching as he undid the knots that held it together. Once done, it fell open with a plop, and he spread it across the uneven ground till it lay mostly flat. At once, the bear shimmied inside, sighing as the blanket flap fell on top of him.

          Wriggling around, Teddie pulled off the jacket that Yosuke had lent him and held it up, "Thanks for letting me use it, Yosuke."

          "No problem," the boy replied, taking the jacket and frowning at the wetness he no doubt felt there, "Probably take a while to dry . . ."

          He said nothing more as he folded it up and set to the side, laying back down and trying to get as comfortable as he could.

          Reaching over the brunette, he placed a hand on Teddie's head and ruffled the still damp locks, earning a squeak of surprise from the boy. Smiling, he said, "Don't worry so much. You're not alone so long as you're with us."

          Teddie perked his head up, nodding fast, "Oh, I know that, Sensei! It's just . . ."

          He trailed off into a sigh, "I'm being silly . . ."

          Yu shook his head, "It's not silly to want someone who could understand what's its like to be you. And I know we can't supply that, but if you ever need to talk about it, don't hesitate to ask us."

          "Yeah," Yosuke said from where he lay. Opening an eye, he lightly flicked the other boy in the forehead, "Now get some sleep, you dumb bear. You'll feel better when you wake up."

          Teddie was silent for a moment. Then, he smiled, "Okay. Thanks Sensei, Yosuke!"

          He snuggled deeper into the bedroll, pulling the covers tight and yawning. Satisfied, Yu lay back on the ground, arms pillowing his head as eh stared up at the darkness above his head. The light was too dim to show the ceiling, so it seemed he was surrounded by a nimbus of shadow. With his friends around him, it no longer seemed so threatening, and the soothing splashing of the waterfall calmed his senses like a song. All around him, he heard his friend's breathing begin to even out, exhaustion finally taking it's hold and pulling them into slumber. His own lids grew heavier, but he willed himself to stay awake until he was sure everyone else was asleep. He knew, logically, it didn't matter if he fell asleep first or not, but he just . . . wanted to keep watch. Keep them safe, with what limited ability he had.

          Then, when it seemed sleep would finally take him, a quiet voice spoke up, "Hey, Sensei?"

          "Hm?"

          "I think, if we did meet everyone's others too . . . they'd all be angels."

          A faint smile made it's ways to Yu's face, "That would be something, wouldn't it?"

          Between them, Yosuke grumbled, "Go to sleep."

          He chuckled softly, leaning back against his arms as silence fell once more.

          _Angels, huh?_ he thought. Given all he'd seen and learned, that wouldn't be so farfetched, would it? Anything was possible . . .

           . . . he had to believe that getting home was possible too.

         

         

         

 

 

 


	5. Surface Bound

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long one. Hope you enjoy it anyway!

          Yu awoke with a jerk as something heavy landed beside his head, blinking with confusion as a chipper voice declared, "All right, rise and shine, up and at 'em, we've got a long walk ahead of us today!"

          Long walk? What was going on? And who was in his room?! And why was it still so _dark_?

          Dark . . .

          Yu's eyes flew open and he sat up, the memories rushing back like a painful tidal wave. The spider, the Underdark, Tirin . . . Yu closed his eyes again and let out a disappointed sigh. A small part of himself had hoped the events of yesterday had all been nothing more than a nightmare. Of course, they weren't going to be that lucky . . .

          But he was here. And so were his friends. He couldn't dwell on his disappointment.

          Looking over, he saw his friends were stirring as well, sitting up and rubbing at their eyes to wipe away the last vestiges of sleep. Several of the glowing stones Tirin had stowed away last night had now been set at the center of their 'campsite', shedding a pleasant light around the cave and banishing the deep shadows that would have otherwise been present. However, it still felt too dark to Yu. But he supposed that would happen when there was no sun to be had.

          Chie looked around, a small frown on her face, "Man, so it wasn't a dream . . ."

          Beside her, Yukiko yawned, "It feels like one, though . . ."

          "Damn it, I think I slept on a rock . . ." Kanji growled, rubbing his hand against his neck in an effort to ease out the kinks.

          "Well, yes, we all slept on rocks, Kanji-kun," Yukiko said, looking puzzled.

          Kanji sighed, "That ain't what I meant, Yukiko-senpai . . ."

          "Feels like I didn’t sleep at all . . ." Yosuke added miserably. Yu had to agree with him. His muscles ached after sleeping on the hard stone, and his back felt stiff and sore. They were in for a long day . . .

          "If it helps, I feel pretty good!" Teddie chimed in, perhaps helpfully, perhaps not.

          "That's because you had the sleeping bag, you ass," Yosuke growled, temper a bit shorter than usual.

          "Ugh, I don't even want to _think_ about what's in my hair right now," Rise muttered, running a hand through her tangled locks.

          “If you want, you can wash it in the pool,” Tirin supplied her as he dropped something next to Yosuke, “Oh, and I’ll be taking that bedroll back now!”

          The brown haired boy blinked at the object next to him, picking them up with hesitant fingers, “Are these . . . boots? Where did you get _boots_?”

          “Gloaming magic,” Tirin replied smoothly, face completely smooth as he stuffed the bedroll away into his bag. A bag that was . . . too small for that bedroll to fit . . . ?

          “How are you doing that?” he asked, staring in awe as the larger object vanished into the bag.

          "Bag of Holding," Tirin 'explained' as if Yu knew what that meant, tapping a finger against seemingly ordinary brown cloth, "Also magic. It can hold things that are a lot bigger than it, and it makes carrying things easier."

          A magical 'bag of holding' . . . did he still have a right to be surprised?

          "Really?" Chie asked, ears perking with interest, "What else you got in there?"

          "Stuff," was his response.

          "Uh . . ."

          Propping himself against diagonal slab of stone next to the cave's opening, Tirin sifted around in his bag again while saying, "Your feet should be better now, so put those boots on. They should last you until we get to the surface."

          Yu glanced down to the floor, finding that a pair of leather boots had been deposited beside him as well. The object that had woken him up, he guessed. Picking one up, he examined the worn boot carefully, noting the slightly torn seams and discolored brown leather that marked its age. It looked a little big around the heel for his feet, too, but beggars couldn't be choosers. He _did_ wonder where Tirin had gotten his hands on them, though.

          "Um, I don't know if I need these," Yukiko said, gesturing to the serving shoes she had just placed on her feet.

          Tirin smiled as if a child had just told him something amusing, "Oh sweetheart, I know you're smarter than that. Those shoes aren't going to last a day down here. Now put the boots on."

          Yukiko pressed her lips together in a thin line, not exactly appreciating the chastisement in his tone. But she seemed to realize he was speaking plainly, for after a small sigh, she took them off. Yu had to agree with Tirin, those slight sandals were not meant for heavy duty activity.

          He glanced to his left when he saw Naoto sit up, the girl having pursed her lips as she gingerly held a boot in her hand, "And just where did you come by so many pairs of boots?"

          Tirin just shrugged, pulling a wrapped bundle from his bag, "Does it matter?"

          Naoto narrowed her eyes, "That depends."

          "Look, I didn't steal them, if that's what you're think. There isn't exactly anyone around to steal from, anyway," Tirin said, looking up.

          "You yourself said you hadn't packed with guests in mind," Naoto said, "So it would stand to reason you wouldn't have packed so many pairs of boots as well. You had to have taken them from somewhere, all I am asking is 'where'?"

          At this point, Tirin had dropped his hands and was giving her a flat stare, voice laced with exasperation, "You really wanna know where I got them? Fine," he gestured to the narrow crevice, "I got them from the spider's nest. Satisfied?"

          They sat in a shocked silence for about several seconds before Rise suddenly hurled the pair she was holding away from her, screaming, "EGH!"

          Yosuke dropped his, face twisted with disgust as he shouted, "Are you telling me you got these off of _dead bodies_?!"

          Yu very quietly set his boot down, frowning and feeling a powerful urge to stick his hands into the nearest open flame in order to clean them. But, seeing as there were no open flames around, he decided instead to follow Chie's tactic of frantically scrubbing her hands in the pool. It was the much saner, safer method right now, anyway. . .

          "Dude, what the hell is wrong with you?!" Kanji demanded, looking ill.

          Tirin rolled his eyes, looking progressively more annoyed as the argument wore on, "So what if I got them off of dead bodies? They're _dead_. It's not like they need them anymore."

          "That's not the point!" Yosuke continued belligerently, "You can't just go doing that, and then ask us to wear them! That's disgusting!"

          "Seriously! How could you even think that's a good idea?!" Chie demanded furiously, though she looked slightly sick.

          "Gross, gross, gross, gross-!" Teddie mumbled, shaking his hands frantically.

          "Aren't there laws against grave robbing?" Yukiko asked, hands clamped into the fabric of her kimono as she stared at the boots in revulsion.

          “I prefer the term ‘looting’, thank you,” Tirin said crisply, a scowl starting to form, "You'll find its a very common practice here."

          “That’s still robbing!” Rise said, dousing her own hands in the water.

          "Moral issues aside, the potential health risks of wearing these are also problematic," Naoto put in, nose just slightly scrunched up in disgust, "Many of those corpses have already gone through the putrefaction process, who knows what manner of bacteria or viruses may have accumulated within these shoes!"

          "I cleaned them!" Tirin defended.

          "That's hardly going to-!"

          " _Z'lonzic!_ " The word was unknown to Yu's ears, but the volume and sharpness with which it was spoken made everyone fall quiet. Tirin had stood to his full height, and Yu noticed with alarm that his blue eyes were blazing, "In the Underdark, there's one rule; survive. The reason why is because it's a dangerous place that doesn't care for the weak or the stupid. Things like _this_ ," he gestured at the boots laying scattered across the floor, "Are what separates the survivors from the ones you saw hanging in those webs! Now, I get that this is all a little out of your element for you, but if you _don't_ start growing a thicker set of skin, then this place will kill you faster than that spider ever could! And if you still don't like that, well, I can always just take my expertise elsewhere and let you figure out what you want to do on your own."

          He braced the backs of his hands against his hips, a parcel of something still clutched in one as he gave them all a smoldering stare, "Are we clear?"

          No one said anything at first, too stunned by the sharp and angry scolding they'd just received. On it's own, it was strange and uncomfortable enough. But when it came from someone who shared a face with a person who never snapped like that to anyone, who rarely even got genuinely angry, it took 'strange and uncomfortable' to a whole other level.

          "Well?" Tirin snapped, making everyone jump.

          Yu quickly stepped in then, pushing away his own discomfort in order to ease the tension pulsating like a livewire between them, "Yes, we're clear. Very, very clear."

          Tirin's eyes narrowed, and for one long moment, he didn't speak. Then, his posture relaxed and he sighed, "Good."

          He suddenly threw the parcel he was holding Yu's way, and he caught it just in the nick of time, feeling the thick brown paper crinkle under his hands. Eyebrows furrowing in curiosity, Yu pulled the twine holding it together away and pulled the paper apart, only to blink when a large loaf of some sort was left in his hand. He heard Tirin speak, "Its food. You'll need lots of energy today, so make sure you split that between you. I'm going to scout ahead to make sure the path's clear, and when I get back I expect it to all be gone."

          Yu looked up at him, "But what about-?"

          "Me?" Tirin cut him off as he turned away. Waving a hand over his shoulder, he said, "Already ate. I'll be back. And remember, not a crumb left."

          He stepped into the darkness and was swallowed, and Yu knew he had left them alone. At least, partially. If he looked closely, he thought he could see a pair of white eyes watching them from the darkness. Xirskam. Swallowing, he tried to pay the creature no mind.

          "Well, he sure got huffy!" Teddie commented with a disapproving frown.

          "I'll say . . ." Chie said.

          Yu glanced at the ring of silent faces around him, sensing the subtle apprehension that remained and deciding that the best way to fix it was to give them something else to focus. And that was . . .

          Yu held up the loaf, "Breakfast, anyone?"

          Teddie was the first to recover, leaning forward and reaching for the loaf with greedy hands, "Mm, you betcha!"

          Which in turn spurred Yosuke into action, who quickly grabbed the boy by the collar and held him back, "Hey, keep you're sticky fingers off!"

          "But Yosuke, a growing boy like me needs food!"

          "If I let you go, you'll just eat the whole thing! Let Yu split it up first!"

          "That sounds like a good idea," Yukiko agreed.

          "Yeah, Senpai will be fair," Rise said, smiling his way.

          Cheered up by the prospect of food, Chie added, "Well, what are ya waiting for? Start sharing, Narukami!"

          Smiling, Yu held the loaf in his hands and carefully pulled it apart. The outside was strangely spongy in consistency, plaint in his hands, and the surface was covered in thin, rippling ridges. When he tore off the first piece, the scent of rich spices hit Yu's senses. Wrinkling his nose, he held it up and took a quick whiff, "Hm, smells like spice bread."

          "You know what spice bread smells like?" Kanji asked, looking over with interest.

          "Well, I sorta made one once with Nanako. It . . . didn't end well," he said, passing the sections he tore off around, making sure everyone got an equal share.

          "Really? What happened?" Yosuke asked as he examined the hunk he'd been given.

          "We used paprika instead of nutmeg. And orange juice instead of milk."

          "Why . . . why in the world would you- . . . you know what, I'm not even gonna ask," Yosuke finally decided.

          “That’s for the best,” Yu replied evenly.

          Nearby, Chie tore a hunk of the loaf off with her teeth, chewing thoughtfully before swallowing, "Well, its not meat . . . but it'll do."

          "Mm, its good," Rise said, licking her lips to catch any stray crumbs, "The texture's a little weird, though."

          "Yeah, its . . . rubbery," Kanji said, chewing, "Is spice bread supposed to be rubbery?"

          "Not in my experience, if you'll have it," Naoto commented before taking another stoic bite, "Still, some sustenance is better than none."

          "I like it!" was Teddie's verdict.

          Everyone having gotten their share, Yu finally took a bite of his own. Kanji was right, the texture was a little rubbery, and tougher to chew than bread should be. But the taste was pleasantly sweet and flavorful, a blend of aromatic spices that melted across the tongue and infused the nostrils. Yu found had no problem finishing the rest of his slice off, just as the rest of his friends did. His hunger probably helped in that regard.

          Satiated at least in part, Yu sat back and let out a sigh. He glanced at the crevice that led out, wondering when Tirin would return. The thought brought with it a reminder, and Yu found his eyes falling back to the boots that lay discarded on the stone floor. They looked innocuous enough on their own, if a little worn. Yet the soles of the long-dead had been inhabiting them not that long ago, and the knowledge made an unpleasant shiver go down his spine.

          "So . . . what are we gonna do about this?" Yosuke asked, gesturing to the boots.

          Rise folded her arms over her chest as if to protect herself, "How could he ask us to wear them? Seriously . . ."

          "No kidding . . ." Chie said, frowning, "But, we don't have any other shoes . . ."

          Everyone fell again into an uncomfortable silence, fidgeting where they sat. It was true, Yu reflected, that the dead had worn them not long ago. But it was also true that they were sorely lacking any other proper footwear, and he did not fancy traveling all the way to the surface barefoot.

          _In_ _the Underdark, there's one rule; survive. The reason why is because it's a dangerous place that doesn't care for the weak or the stupid._

          Tirin's words rebounded in his skull, and he frowned. This place _was_ dangerous, they'd found that out the hard way, and if what Tirin said was true, then they could expect more danger along the way. They couldn't afford to be picky over where their help came from, even if it was gross and morally dubious. Idly, Yu wondered if that was why Tirin had gotten as riled as he did over their protests.

          "Partner?" Yosuke questioned, "This is ultimately your call."

          Yu gave him a small nod, gathering his thoughts together before somberly speaking, "We . . . don't really have a choice."

          "But-!" Rise started to protest.

          "I know, Rise. Normally, I wouldn't even consider it," Yu admitted, "But . . . look at where we are. If even half of this place is as dangerous as that spider's cave, we don't have the option of trying to tough this trip out without shoes."

           Rise's eyes dropped to the floor, but he could see she was starting understand his point of view. Most were. He wished he didn't have to push them to do this, but forcing them to trek in this dark underground realm barefoot would have been crueler.

          Naoto frowned deeply, not pleased with this decision, "I can understand your reasoning, Senpai, but what about your injuries? Open cuts are a prime way for bacteria to travel."

          "Well, he did say he washed them . . ." Yosuke mumbled, not looking convinced.

          "With disinfectant?" Naoto prompted rhetorically, "I highly doubt such amenities are easy to acquire down here, if they even exist at all."

          “Well, that’s only if we still have cuts on our feet, right?” Chie asked, “If . . . if we don’t, then it should be . . . kinda okay to wear them, right? I mean, disease-wise.”

          Naoto sighed, “Perhaps, but I still wouldn’t recommend it.”

          “Let’s check first,” Yu offered, “And we’ll see what to do from there.”

          Reaching down, he swiftly undid the bandages wound around his feet, the soiled cloth falling to the floor in a small heap. The medicinal salve he’d smeared on the day before was pretty much gone, and when he examined the soles of his feet, he found that the wounds had pretty much healed over night! All that remained were thin red lines that crossed over each other, the skin whole and repaired, if a little raw to the touch.

          “Wow . . . that stuff is powerful,” Chie commented.

          “Yeah . . .” Yosuke quickly undid his own, and the others followed suit. It soon became apparent that the phenomenon had happened to them as well, the skin healed and with only the faint lines that marked the places where the cuts had been.

          Yukiko smiled as she took it all in, “Well, I guess that means you won’t have to worry about getting any infections!”

          “True . . .” Naoto agreed slowly.

          “Well then, let’s get this over with!” Kanji said, leaning down and scooping the largest pair available.

          “Uh, Kanji-?” Chie started.

          Kanji looked at her, “What? We already decided to put ‘em on, right? What’s the point in stallin’?”

          Without waiting for an answer, he pulled the boots on in quick order, a few of the others wincing as they watched. Yu watched as Kanji tightened the belts around the cuff, clipping them in place with a sort of fierce determination that was kind of inspiring.

          Kanji sat back once he was finished, silent. Then, he nodded, “Huh, they actually ain’t that bad.”

          “Well, if you say so . . .” Yosuke said, frowning as he picked up a pair himself.

          “No time like the present, I guess,” Chie murmured, sifting out a pair with really tall shin guards, “These actually kinda look like something I’d use in the TV world . . .”

          Yukiko pursed her lips as she removed her sandals, “I’ll miss these sandals. They served me well.”

          Teddie was poking one with a finger, looking reluctant, “Do I have too?”

          Yosuke scowled at him, “Yes, you have too!”

          Rise was sitting on her knees, cringing at the boot she held in her hands and making no move to put it on like the others were. That was when Naoto touched her shoulder, “If you prefer, Rise, I can lend you my shoes instead. I can wear the boots.”

          Rise immediately shook her head, “No, no, its okay, Naoto-kun. I’m just . . . psyching myself up, is all! It’s just like a big concert. Gotta get your head in the game, you know?”

          Naoto frowned, but saw the hardened gleam in Rise’s eyes and knew she couldn’t change her mind, “If you insist. But the offer remains open.”

          Rise smiled, “Thanks Naoto. But I’ll be okay. I’m tougher than I look, even if it is gross!”

          Yu smiled, and when he caught her eye, he gave her a reassuring and pleased nod. A blush bloomed across Rise’s cheeks, but she smiled as she hastily pulled the pair she had on, doing the laces up with deft knots to secure them in place.

          Seeing that everyone was getting by on their own, Yu quickly pulled on the ones he’d been given, buckling the straps in place. The heel was a little big as he’d suspected they’d be, but they stayed on, which was all he could ask for given their . . . origin.

          The shadows from the crevice shifted, and all heads turned as Tirin stepped into the cave once again. His eyes flicked from one person to the other, and slowly, a pleased smile began to grow on his face, “Now that’s more like it! You’ve all eaten, yes?”

          Everyone nodded, different words of affirmation flowing together in a jumble. But the main message was conveyed regardless, and Tirin was soon ushering them to their feet, “Well, come on, get up! It’s time we started moving!” he cast them all a grin, thankfully slipping back into more normal behavior, “I think you’ll find this next bit a little more fun!”

          Everyone groaned.

          As they filed out of the cave and onto the rather thin ledge, Yu found himself hanging back in order to ask Tirin a question, one that had been bothering him since last night, "So, Tirin?"

          "Hm?"

          Yu scratched the back of his neck, "You know how you, well, look like one of our own? Exactly like one of our own."

          "Yes, I noticed."

          "Well, I was wondering if perhaps you might now why that is? And if their might be . . . others out there, like the rest of us?"

          Tirin crossed his arms, looking thoughtful, "I don't really know about you first question, but I imagine it also has something to do with magic. As for your second question, well . . ." Tirin leaned his head back, a mysterious smile tweaking his lips, "Spoilers."

          Before Yu could ask him what that meant, Tirin turned and sauntered ahead, leaving him with more questions than he'd had at the start.

(*)

          A cool draft twined through Yu's hair, and he sighed as he reached the end of another tunnel. They had traversed through who knows how many of those by this point, some occasionally emptying out into small caves that connected to more tunnels that gradually sloped upwards. The rough, craggy walls and confined spaces were really starting to wear on him, and as time wore on, it felt like the tunnels were gradually pressing closer with every step he took. His mouth felt dry, but there had been no pools of water aside from the one they'd left behind, and it was far too late to go back for more. His legs were getting tired, as they'd walked for hours now, but Tirin wouldn't let them pause for a break. At least, not yet. The only saving grace of this whole endeavor was, ironically enough, the boots. Sure, it had taken some getting used to, and he had to fight not to think about where they'd come from, but it had made the journey at least somewhat bearable. All the same, the weariness all culminated into a rather high-strung version of the usual Yu Narukami, though he tried to keep it under wraps. All he could do was tough it out and hope they reached the end soon.

          Speaking of an end, their contemporary guide hadn't been very forthcoming in regards to where they were in relation to that. In fact, aside from either humming or deflecting their questions about where they were going with vague replies, he rarely spoke at all. And, given the atmosphere, conversation became a quickly dwindling pastime amongst his friends, and soon they were journeying in silence. He supposed it didn't help that their strange guide still made them all slightly uncomfortable.

          Just slightly . . .

          Taking a quick moment to catch his breath, Yu held up the stone he held in his hand to see where they were. The shadows bled back as the light chased them away, and Yu blinked when he saw that the cavern they'd exited into was much larger than the others they'd crawled through. Big enough that he couldn't see the ceiling or the opposite end. The open space was strangely relieving, and Yu felt his shoulders start to relax a little more as he welcomed the change.

          It was also the first cavern he'd seen that held life in it. Large domed mushrooms grew out of cracks in the floor and walls, their frilled edges rustling gently in the wind, the closest to leaves this place could come. Some were no bigger than his hand, but others were taller than _he_ was, their caps closing over their heads like a conglomerate of umbrellas and giving them shelter both comforting and strange. He could make out each gill from these giants quite clearly, the folded ridges a startlingly vivid electric blue that popped out against the grey stone. Each cap bore mottled black stripes that ran along their domed skin, fanning out in intricate patterns that gave each mushroom a unique beauty. Only one path remained open amongst the veritable forest before them, a trail of gritty earth bordered on each side by the giant fungus as it curved deeper into the shadows.

          Huh, he wondered if they were edible . . .

          His attention was brought back to earth by Tirin's excited twittering, "Yes, yes, _yes_ , we're finally here!"

          "Huh? What'dya mean 'we're finally here'?" Yosuke asked, "I don't know about you, but this doesn't look like 'outside' to me."

          Tirin rolled his eyes, but if there was an annoyance there, it was overshadowed by the excitement that sparkled in its stead, "Oh, Yosuke, we're almost there, I promise, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy some of the sights along the way! There's reason I chose this route!"

          Everyone glanced at one another, unsure as to what 'sights' he meant.

          "Um, do you mean the mushrooms?" Yukiko asked, looking doubtfully at the stalks beside her.

          "Of course!" Tirin replied, walking back over to them with kick in his step.

          Naoto let out an aggravated sigh, "That is all very well and good, but I'd rather we not waste any time-!"

          "Naoto, relax!" Tirin rebuffed, pulling the bag he wore at waist open without taking his eyes off the small detective, "We're in the clear here! Cross my heart!"

          "She does have a point," Yu cut in, and Naoto sent him a grateful look as he sided with her, "We do need to get to the surface soon. Besides, there's nothing stopping us from looking at the mushrooms as we go along, right?"

          Keep the peace.

          "Oh, we'll be walking, but you're all missing the point," Tirin said, "But, I guess that happens when you walk everywhere with a light. That said, give me your stones, please.~"

          Protests began flying, and Tirin had to wave for silence. When at last everyone settled down, he placed a hand on his hip and said, "Look, just trust me on this, okay? You'll regret it if you don't!"

          "Why would we regret being able to see?" Yosuke asked rhetorically.

          "Oh, you'll see," was Tirin's vague reply, "Trust me."

          "You're not going to budge on this, are you?" Yu asked, already knowing the answer.

          Tirin grinned, "Nope!~"

          Yu sighed, irritation flaring. But he had to remember that this guide of theirs had vast more experience when it came to this realm's workings. He had to trust he knew what he was doing now. So, after a brief moment of hesitation, he finally handed Tirin the stone he held.

          Tirin wasted no time in tossing the stone into the bag, the cloth sack swallowing its light entirely, "That's one! I need five more!"

          "You sure about this, dude?" Yosuke whispered, looking reluctant.

          Yu gave him a helpless shrug, "No, but he's not going to take us anywhere until we give him what he wants. He's a lot like Teddie in that regard."

          He heard Teddie sniff in protest, "No way! I'd never do something so terrible as deprive you of your sight, Sensei!"

          "Apologies," Yu said hastily. He'd rather avoid dissention in the ranks if he could help it.

          "So, why are we doing this?" Rise asked as she reluctantly forked over her stone.

          "You'll see!" Tirin said.

          "I wish . . ." Kanji grumbled, arms crossed and looking uneasy as the light continued to dwindle.

          When the last stone had been returned, everyone practically held their breath as Tirin slipped it back into the bag, the last of the light vanishing into its depths. Darkness closed in around them like a shroud, so dense and thick Yu couldn't even see his own hand in front of his face. He could still hear his friends rustling fearfully around him, but even that seemed muted.

          "Well, I'm sure glad we did this!" He heard Yosuke grumble, but it was edged with nervousness, "Totally worth it!"

          "Just _hush_ ," Tirin said.

          Yosuke began to growl, "You know, I've just about had it-!"

          "Yosuke," Yu whispered, staring ahead.

          "-up to here with all this bullcrap you keep-!"

          "Yosuke!" Yu said with a bit more force, reaching back to grab his shoulder and get his attention.

          "What?!"

          "Look," was Yu's quiet reply, not turning his head. When all that answered him was silence, Yu knew that Yosuke was finally seeing what he was seeing.

          The mushrooms were starting to _glow_. In small, broken pockets they started, the black markings along the caps and the gills rippling under their surface all beginning to shed a soft azure light that pooled across the ground in patches. But then, that light began to spread out from those pockets, traveling from one mushroom to the other like ripples fanning out across a pond. Almost as if in a trance, Yu extended a hand and watched as the light traveled up his fingers, the mushroom dancing over their heads alighting with the same cold fire that set the whole forest beautifully aglow. Shadows still rippled between the stalks and danced along the walls and ceiling, but the light played with those shadows, dancing with them and making it seem as if the whole cave had been submerged underwater, a small paradise separated from all the world.

          "Wow . . ." he heard several of his friends breathe in unison, staring in awe at the forest around them.

          "It's beautiful . . ." Rise whispered under her breath, the light dancing in her eyes,

          Tirin walked until he stood in front of them, turning on his heel and giving them all a smug smile, "Told you you'd regret missing this. Now, follow me," he spun back around again, but he glanced back over his shoulder with a wink and a smile, "There's more to see."

          He began to bound ahead, but as he did so, he reached up so his fingers brushed along the underside of a mushroom. The gills he touched glowed just a shade brighter, and suddenly, spores began to fall like little motes of glowing stardust that trailed after Tirin's fingertips as he pulled away. They then hovered in the air, spinning and twirling on the breeze until they came to float around the awestruck group.

          Teddie let out a sudden whoop of excitement, no longer able to contain himself and blitzing ahead of them, running his hands along any gills within reach and releasing clouds of spores in his wake, the glowing motes appearing like tiny universes between the trees.

          "Oh boy . . ." Yosuke mumbled, chasing after the blonde. But Yu could see his eyes still shooting around when he caught up with the bear, and he was relieved to see he was looking less tense than he was before.

          In fact, all of his friends were looking more relaxed than he'd seen them in a while. Yukiko and Chie were all but twittering with excitement as they, too, patted at one of the mushrooms, laughing as the released motes clung to their hair and clothes.

          "Chie, you look like your covered in glowy little mothballs!" Yukiko snorted.

          "So do you!" Chie retorted, but their was a smile on her face as she gathered up a handful of stardust and playful tossed it at her friend, an action that only made Yukiko laugh more.

          Rise was reaching out with her hands, cradling little motes between her fingers and staring, entranced, at the glow. Her face looked serene in the light that basked her face, and her smile was a peaceful one as she let it fly away again.

          Kanji was crouching down, examining the little mushrooms that lined the path with an attentive eye, a slight half-smile on his face as he mused, "These things are kinda cute for plants . . . huh, Ma might like one for a nightlight . . ."

           Even Naoto looked more relaxed as she studied one of the large stalks, gazing up into the mushroom cap with a contemplative look in her eyes, "Strange . . . I've heard of bioluminescent toadstools before, but never of this size . . ."

          A small mote flickered across his vision, and Yu reached up and tapped it with a finger. It spun back, twirling as if in delight at its own freedom before spinning away, and Yu felt a smile come to his lips. This place was truly gorgeous, he gave it that. It did his heart good to see his friends spirits liven so. This was a much welcome reprieve from all the frightening things that had happened to them so far, and for the next fifteen minutes, Yu found himself idly wandering from one stalk to the next, watching his friends and admiring the glow. It really felt as if he had just suddenly stepped into a true fantasy world.

          "Hey Partner!" He heard Yosuke cry from farther down the path, "Come check this out!"

          Smiling, he followed the sound of his voice until he'd nearly reached the very end of the trail, occasionally glancing around to admire the scenery. He found both Yosuke and Teddie standing before the mouth of another tunnel, one that was lit by the same glow as the mushroom forest.

          Yosuke spun around, beckoning him over, but Yu found himself doing a double take instead. Yosuke's hair had been flecked by numerous little spores, the blue motes almost resembling a starry veil that made his eyes shine. It was . . . it was . . . it was a really weird thought, Yu should probably stop.

          He shifted uncomfortably when he noticed Yosuke was staring at him as well, and he quickly cleared his throat, "Well, Yosuke? What's up?"

          Yosuke blinked, looking startled, "Huh? O-oh, right! Sorry . . ." he let out a small, somewhat forced laugh, "Dude, your hair is covered with that stuff, you know?"

          "Is it?" Yu asked, reaching up and running a hand through his hair. The motes that drifted down told him that, yes, it was.

          "Yosuke, tell Sensei about the thing!" Teddie demanded excitedly, gesturing to the tunnel.

          "What thing?" Yu asked, intrigued.

          "Oh, uh, well . . ." Yosuke fumbled over what to say before finally giving up and pointing to the tunnel, "It'd be easier if you just looked."

          Creeping closer, Yu did indeed look, and what he saw made him gape. The tunnel before them was not made of stone, but instead living, growing mushrooms! The walls, the ceiling, even portions of the floor, were all mushrooms! Light filtered from the caps and gills, spores hovering statically in the hollow space like tiny stars.

          "Well, that's unusual," he finally said.

          "Yeah, its weird, but I'll take it over giant spiders any day," Yosuke said, crossing his arms.

          "Let's go inside!" Teddie trilled excitedly, taking a step forward.

          A shadow suddenly slipped in behind him, and they all jumped as a pale hand reached out and grabbed the bear by the collar, "Oh no, not without me you don't."

          "God damn it, _will_ _you stop that!_ " Yosuke hissed under his breath as he glared at Tirin, patting a hand over his chest.

          Tirin merely waved a nonchalant hand at him, "Can't help that you're so jumpy, sorry."

          By now, the others were starting to gather, staring at the tunnel with interest.

          "Oh, what's that?" Yukiko asked.

          "The next stop on our little trip!" Tirin supplied her, "Are you all ready to move on?"

          "Huh, already?" Rise asked, glancing back at the forest behind her.

          "Oh, don't worry, my dear, the sights aren't over yet!" Tirin promised her, giving her gentlemanly bow and a smile.

          Several enthusiastic glances were shared, and even Naoto couldn't quite put a stopper on the gleam in her eyes as she demurely said, "It would be good to move on."

          "Everyone, follow me!" Tirin said, stepping into the tunnel.

          At first, it was a little tricky navigating the mess of a tunnel. The mushrooms that lined the floor made the ground more springy than normal, and twice Yu nearly tripped as his toes struck the underside of a cap. But he got used to it quickly enough, and it wasn't very long until he heard a distant, tumbling rumble echo from farther up the cave.

          "What's that?" Chie asked.

          "Just wait," Tirin said, walking forward confidently.

          They had no choice but to follow, and the rumbling steadily grew louder and louder until it was a roar, a sound he had most definitely heard before.

          A waterfall.

          No sooner had the realization crossed his mind when the tunnel suddenly opened up again, and Yu felt his breath catch in his throat as the roar filled his ears.

          The cave was vast, more vast than any he'd seen before, and filled with the same glowing mushrooms from earlier. They stretched on as far as the eye could see, a vista of light and shadow that lit the cave as well as a blue midmorning sun. But one critical difference was that these mushrooms were _enormous_ , some as tall as fifteen-story buildings, towering over the landscape and overshadowing anything that lived beneath their caps. Yu, however, was actually looking down on them, for he and his friends were situated on a point higher than any, the craggy stone walls around them sloping down into the massive forest below. Several mushrooms grew out of the walls, one of which sprouted just below the tunnel they stood in, the stalk forming a broad, sturdy bridge to the broad flat of stone just across from them. Spores floated in the air, great clouds of stardust that sparkled and shone just like the night sky. Close to them, just on their right, a waterfall tumbled down straight from a hole in the ceiling, the cascading water shimmering like satin in the soft light cast by the mushrooms. It hit the floor below with a thunderous crash, and Yu could see between the caps that the ground was completely flooded with water, a sea as great and vast as the mushrooms that blossomed from their depths. Motes of light were continuously being swept down by the current, splaying out under the water so it looked as if a piece of the universe itself lay trapped beneath the waves, a mirror reflecting the stars above them.

          "Whoa . . ." was all he could mumble, completely spellbound by the sight before him.

          "Yeah . . ." Yosuke mumbled in agreement.

          "Those are some big mushrooms . . ." Kanji observed, staring.

          "It's so pretty!" Chie said, looking this way and that as if she couldn't see enough of it.

          "Look at all those spores! It almost looks exactly like the night sky back home! Rise said, pointing up.

          "It does, doesn't it?" Yukiko agreed softly, awestruck.

          "I don't regret giving up being able to see _at all_!" Teddie said.

          "I'm am quite glad you think that!" Tirin said, stepping out onto the bridge with graceful steps, grinning. Turning to face them, he gestured to the grand forest below, "They call this place _Knif'taur_ . . . The Glowing Forest."

          "I can see why," Yu said, watching the motes above his head swirl in the spray kicked up by the waterfall.

          "And up there," Tirin continued, pointing to the waterfall, "Is _Rhikna'rei_ , the Glimmering Falls. It actually empties out from Lake Belladonna, just above us."

          "An actual lake?" Yosuke asked, staring.

          "Mhm!" Tirin nodded, "We're real close to the surface now, so there are lots of places like this where water from above ground flows into the caverns! But I haven't found one yet that's quite as pretty as this one."

          ". . . Why do this?"

          Yu glanced at Naoto, who seemed to realize she had spoken out loud for she quietly pulled her cap a little lower down her face and amended, "I mean, its not that this is . . . not appreciated. This truly is a gorgeous place. But . . . why? One would assume you have better things to do with your time than act as a tour guide."

          For a moment, all Tirin did was look at her, and Yu wondered if he would even answer. Then he turned away, lacing his hands behind his head as if in thought, and when he spoke, there was a note of wistful sadness in his voice that hadn't been present before, "You know, most people from the surface believe that everything about the Underdark is bad. And its not exactly unjustified, either. Like I said, its a dangerous place that'll kill you if you aren't careful. But that doesn't mean those people are _right._ "

          He reached into his satchel and pulled something out. What he held up looked like a small crystal orb with a glowing center, as if it held its very own star, "There are nice things here too. Places like this, and people who can be just as compassionate and self-sacrificing as someone from the surface. All you've seen so far are the bad parts of my home, so . . ." he glanced at them from over his shoulder, a smile on his face, "I thought maybe it wouldn't hurt if you saw some of the good things about it, too."

          Yu blinked, understanding dawning for him. Tirin was right, most of what they'd seen had been . . . pretty shitty. The small argument they'd had when they'd woken (if one could call it an argument), probably only punctuated for the Gloaming how much they'd been disliking everything they'd had to do down here. He guessed . . . Tirin had wanted to prove that it wasn't all 'survival of the fittest'. That they could enjoy some of the things down here, too.

          The others seemed to have reached the same conclusion as well, for silence reigned supreme.

          Then, Tirin broke it, "You know, I wouldn't have _really_ left you on your own. I mean, have you ever found a box of puppies just abandoned on the side of the road? You wouldn't just leave them there, would you?"  

          " . . . Are you seriously calling us 'puppies'?" Yosuke asked, a note of disbelief in his voice.

          "I take umbrage as well," Yu said, holding up a hand, "I'd much prefer to be a kitten."

          "Dude, really?"

          "A Senpai-kitten? What would that look like?" Kanji mused to himself.

          "Small and adorable, of course," Rise chimed in.

          "But, but, but, but I thought _I_ was the small and adorable one!" Teddie protested with a pout.

          Tirin let out a short bark of laughter, "You keep telling yourself that, soggy."

          "Hmph!" Teddie harrumphed, pointedly turning his back.

          Gesturing for them to follow, Tirin jerked his head towards the bridge, "Come on, just over the bridge and its smooth sailing from here. I take it you're all wanting to see real sunshine again, right?"

          "That would be nice," Naoto said.

          "Oh, fresh air! Let's do it!" Chie agreed enthusiastically.

          Everyone stepped out onto the bridge, the thick stalk not even swaying under their weight, something Yu was eternally grateful for as they made their way across. As they neared the middle, a soft spray continuously misted over him until his hair was sticking to his forehead. But the coolness was refreshing, and when he opened his mouth, he savored the feeling of wetness on his tongue. Although, a real drink wouldn't be declined.

          "You're going to have to jump down, but its not a long drop. You'll be fine," Tirin told them as they approached the opposite end. Just ahead, Yu could see the other end of the mushroom curve up so its cap formed an umbrella over the stony plateau, the rock washed with blue light and glimmering spores. The curved point of the stalk hovered just above the cliff's edge, about eight feet down. It wasn't a long fall, like Tirin said, but Yu didn't fancy the nearness of that cliff and the drop just beyond. The plateau itself was situated in the rock, a shelf surrounded by a sheer alcove that had looked as if it had been gouged out by a great claw. Within, Yu could make out three separate tunnels, the two on the right leading down and one on the left sloping up.

          "Uh, I don't know about this . . ." Rise said doubtfully, gazing at the cliff with fear in her eyes.

          Tirin waved at her, a hand braced against the curving stalk as he stared at the ground below them, "You'll be fine! Just keep your eyes on where you want to land, and you'll make it. Now, watch me first, and then-"

          Yu's eyebrows knitted together in confusion when Tirin suddenly broke off, the man's eyes darting towards the tunnel on the far right. Yu looked himself, but saw nothing save rock and shadow. Looking behind him, Yu saw his puzzlement reflected on the faces of his friends, and as the silence wore on with only the roaring of the waterfall, everyone began to grow more and more uneasy.

          Finally, Yu spoke up, "Tirin-?"

          He broke off when Tirin's hand snapped in front of his face, and for the first time Yu noticed the tension of his stance. That, coupled with the fire burning behind his eyes, finally clued him in; something was wrong.

          "Go back. All of you, turn around and go back," he hissed, not taking his eyes off the tunnel.

          "W-what? Why?" Yosuke started, looking bewildered.

          " _Alu!_ Go, now!" Tirin's gaze snapped to them, and there wasn't a trace of play or teasing in his eyes.

          The moment Tirin turned his head, something bright and silver flashed in the darkness of the tunnel, flying out at them with frightening speed.

          _THUNK!_

          Yu jolted back as a black arrow suddenly embedded itself in the stalk by Tirin's hand, the shaft quivering in place.

          " _Shit!_ " Tirin spun around and shoved Yu back hard, pushing for him to go, to _run_ \- "Move! Move _now!_ "

          By now, no one needed to be told twice. As one, they spun on their heels and began sprinting back towards the other tunnel, feet flying over the stalk. Not once did Yu even entertain the idea of falling, fear giving his feet wings. Nor did he think about what had fired that arrow, for he had a strong suspicion that he did not want to me who or what had done so.

          The sound of screeching rose up from the plateau, and that just made Yu run faster.

          _Almost there!_ he thought desperately, eyes locked on the tunnel, _We're almost there!_

          Then a sudden, pained cry made him grind to a halt, heart pounding with renewed vigor as he spun around.

          Naoto lay collapsed on the floor, foot having snagged on a fibrous strip that now was tangled around her ankle. Her hands were already tearing at the plant, and Kanji was already running back to her side. Without pause, Yu and the others all did the same.

          At that moment, right as they all reached her, a terrifying _skittering_ sound swept by them as something large crawled along the underside of the bridge just beneath their feet. Spinning around, Yu watched in horror as another overly large spider crawled over the edge, planting itself firmly between its prey and their escape. But it wasn't alone, because there, seated on its back, was a _rider_.

          But he couldn't stare long, for another terrible screech rose up behind him, and he spun back to see another mounted spider block the last escape route they had. All along the plateau, he could see other tall, humanoid shapes lining up along the cliff's edge, bows raised and arrows all pointed their way. Tirin stood between them and the gnashing fangs of the spider, daggers drawn and lips turned down into a fierce scowl. But he was outnumbered ten to one.

          With growing horror, Yu realized they were trapped.


	6. Battle Over Knif'taur

          Tension crackled like lightning, and it felt as if there was a steam hammer in Yu's chest. He kept looking from one spider to the next, fearing their inevitable spring that could kill someone before he even had a chance to react. Their large, glassy eyes stared back, fangs clicking together in hungry anticipation. They were a bit smaller than the one that had chased them before, with more compact bodies and shorter legs, almost like a jumping spider. He knew full well that that did not diminish the danger by even a fraction.

          And their riders presented a whole host of new and unknown problems. Each one wore a tight, form-fitting set of armor that shimmered like gossamer, intricate whorls that resembled spider webs creating unique patterns along the vest and thighs. Crossbows sat in one gloved hand, fingers a hairs breadth away from the trigger as they threateningly pointed them their way, while in the other lay a coiled whip that rested on their thigh, ready to flick open at a moment's notice. Faceless helmets sat upon their heads, the pointed cheek guards carved to resemble spider fangs that glinted menacingly in the glow of the forest. And in the shadows cast by the helmet, eyes the color of blood gleamed at them with malice.

          " _Al, al, vel'bol inbal udos ghil?_ "

          The silken voice, feminine in tone, sounded just out of sight, cool and taunting. Then, from behind the spider blocking the path to the plateau, another shape emerged. A woman appeared before them, clearly in charge judging by the deferential nod the riders gave her. Unlike her companions, she was wearing a black vest with a red, spider-shaped insignia that covered most of the front. A long, rippling skirt of black flowed beneath that, a v-line cut running right down the center and revealing long, slender legs that lacked the armor of her companions save the heeled boots that rose to her knee. Spider's silk formed a silver covering over the cloth, a glimmering overskirt that cut off halfway down the main skirt to only wispy tendrils. Her face was the perfect definition of 'haughty', with high cheek-bones, a sharp chin, and a slender nose which was turned up just slightly, as if she'd just scented something nasty. A circlet of silver rested upon her brow, the curved ends cradling a onyx cabochon circled by miniature ruby studs. Her lips were tugged up into a small, yet malicious smirk, leering at them and making it quite clear that she was not their friend. That was where her human similarities ended. Her skin, instead of beige or pink or white or any other familiar color, was as pitch as the bottom of an inkwell, and her hooded eyes which stared at them so condescendingly was a bright wine red. Her carefully plaited and coiled hair was chalk white, utterly devoid of color and striking against her sable skin. But perhaps her most obvious and telling feature were her long, pointed ears, a trait which sent Yu reeling back to the days when he'd read fairytale stories alone in his room.

          Was this woman . . . an _elf?_

          "Holy shit . . ." he heard Yosuke breathe in quiet disbelief, seeing it himself.

          The woman's red eyes snapped to him, lips curling in distaste as she snapped, " _Venorsh!_ "

          The sharp click of Yosuke's jaws slamming shut followed, and Yu forced himself to swallow as fear clawed at his insides.

          But Tirin wasn't having any of it. Paying no heed to her command, he said through gritted teeth, " _Vel'bol xun dos ssinsrinn?"_

The woman gazed at him, and something like recognition flashed through her crimson eyes. This time, with a notable more amount of interest, she tilted her head to one side and inquired, " _Dos gaer. Dos ph'uss dl'Vidostha, ph'dos naut?_ Tirin _, usstan z'reninth."_

Yu's ears perked when she spoke Tirin's name. She . . . knew him?

          " _Vel'bol ka usstan telanthus siyo? Orn'la dos ori'gato udossa k'lararl?_ " Tirin questioned, not lowering his gaurd.

          The woman smirked, " _Xal'ka dos'balus tlus maglust._ _Usstan tlun nau wael. Jhal . . . dos phuul naut maglust, ph'dos?_ "

          Her eyes flashed to Yu and his friends before traveling over them, where she then gave a very subtle nod. In an instant, there was the sound of feet thudding against the floor and frightened scream, and he spun around only to feel his heart quicken.

          The first rider had leaped down from his mount and now held Yukiko captive, the whip he held wrapped around her throat, just tight enough where he could easily snap her neck if provoked.

          "Yukiko!" Chie shouted in horror. Then she was lunging forward, spitting furiously, "Let her go, you bastard!"

          The man's hands tightened, constricting, and Yukiko choked as her air supply was brutally cut back. His friends all gasped in horror, and on a jolt of pure instinct, Yu started towards Yukiko, a primal, desperate urge to rip the whip away himself temporarily overriding his other thoughts. But rationality caught up with him quick, and he ground his teeth and forced himself to still. It was a hostage tactic, a threat. If any of them tried getting close, he would kill her. Chie got the message as well, sliding to a stop and glaring daggers at her captor, furious at her own helplessness. When no one else made a move, the armored man finally loosened his hold, and Yu felt the tightness in his chest loosen slightly as Yukiko coughed, her breath returning.

          He forced himself to look back to the woman, his glare as sharp and cold as icicles. Unperturbed, she continued speaking, " _Val'kyroc. Xor dkinoss zah'har l'umbrenen._ "

          Tirin growled, fingers tightening around the hilts of his daggers.

          "What does she want?" Yu whispered to him, not taking his eyes off the woman.

          "She wants us to surrender, or else suffer the consequences," he replied just as softly, an acidic tone lacing his words, "Damn spider-kisser . . ."

          Yu didn't have to ask what those 'consequences' were.

          " _Huertar. F'sarn nuat natha zaale j'nesst_ ," the woman said, looking impatient.

          Tirin bristled, and for one moment, Yu was sure he would lunge at her regardless of her hostage. Then his shoulders slumped. Standing out of his stance, his fingers loosened and the daggers he was holding hit the ground with a dull thud, and he held them up, fingers spread in a display of surrender.

          It was all they could do, Yu realized. With Tirin outnumbered and Yukiko trapped, they had no choice. So, closing his eyes, he did away with his pride and held up his own hands as well, hoping these 'elves', if that was what they were, would show some strain of mercy. Around him, he sensed his friends slowly following their lead, surrendering with gritted teeth and dark scowls but knowing they had no other option. Perhaps, if they were careful and played their cards right, they could find a way to escape later . . .

          Then, just out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tirin smirk.

          _Fwip!_

          A dull _thunk_ behind them followed only a second later, and the sound of someone gurgling broke the heavy silence. Startled, Yu's eyes flew to the rider holding Yukiko captive just in time to see him slump to the floor, where he then lay motionless, a golden bolt jutting out from his throat. Gasping, Yukiko stumbled away, Chie catching her just in time and holding her fiercely, as if daring anyone to try and touch her friend again.

          Stunned silence reigned for only a moment, as right after that, a loud, bloodcurdling war cry sounded from the plateau, and he spun around again to see a rather big, heavily armored man charge out of one of the tunnels, a huge black warhammer clutched in his hands. With another fury-laden bellow, he ran head-on into the archers, who were shouting in panic and firing all their arrows at him at once. Most glanced off the man's armor, and the ones the did stick he completely ignored as if they were little more than beestings. The archer on the farthest right didn't stand a chance as the big man bowled into him, massive shoulder sending him hurtling over the edge with a scream.

          Everything happened all at once after that. Sweeping down to the floor, Tirin grabbed his daggers and lunged for the woman, sharp points level with her chest. But she was ready. Mumbling something like an incantation under her breath, a veil of white covered her body that had Tirin's daggers glancing harmlessly to the side, as if they were repulsed by a semi-invisible shield. Then, faster than he could blink, she vanished from sight.

          Another bolt came flying, a gold speck amidst a blue screen, striking the other rider in the shoulder. With a pained and furious cry, the rider snapped his whip open and lashed it against the ground, and the spider rose up, hissing. Behind him, the other spider did likewise, fangs clicking together voraciously.

          "Xirskam, now!" Tirin shouted as darkness enveloped him, body dispersing with the shadows.

          At his master's call, Xirskam materialized from the darkness, leaping on top of the riderless spider and sinking his long talons into it's thorax. The spider shrieked, bucking and spinning as it tried to throw its attacker off to no avail.

          The second spider shrieked, and Yu backpedaled, trying to put himself between it and his friends as it crawled closer. The rider atop it's back spat at them, then lashed his whip out with a _crack_.

          Pain lanced along his cheek, a fiery line of pain that momentarily made his mind go blank. Hot blood welled from the wound, and he tasted copper on his tongue as blood oozed down his cheek.

          "Yu!" He heard Yosuke and several others shout, and he felt a hand grab him by the arm and pull him back.

          Behind him, the crack of a gun firing roused him to his senses, Naoto having pulled out her weapon of choice and aiming it at their attackers. The spider hissed as a bullet lodged in it's leg, and the rider gnashed his teeth, red eyes burning. A second gunshot, but this one missed. Before she could fire another, the rider lashed his whip out once more, the tip striking Naoto in the back of her hand and sending her gun flying. They were defenseless!

          He stumbled back to his feet again, ignoring the brutal sting of his wound, trying to think of a way to get his friends out of this. But the rider was already raising his arm again, the spider surging forward, black fangs gleaming-

          That was when a shadow appeared behind the man, and suddenly their attacker was flying headfirst to the floor, having been kicked off by a rather smug-looking Tirin. The man hit the ground hard, the crossbow he had landing by Yu's feet. Reaching out, he quickly snapped it up.

          The spider hissed and violently shook it's body from head to toe, and Tirin went flying as well. But he landed with a modicum more grace, rolling onto his feet with ease as the spider spat furiously at him. The rider stumbled back to his feet, whip dangling loosely from his hand, helmet askew yet still glaring daggers at the gloaming.

          Before either of them could react, another rage-filled cry boomed from the other side of the bridge, and Yu could just see the large, stomping figure of the armored man from before rushing at them like an angry bull. The spider, sensing a new threat, whirled around to meet it's new opponent.

          Yu had a very strong feeling that it regretted doing so when the big man dropped his hammer right on it's head. The chitinous shell shattered like brittle glass, ichor oozing through the cracks. The man wasn't done. Dropping his hammer completely this time, he grabbed hold of the spider's fang with one hand and began _beating it in the face_ with the other, relentless, unending punches backed with a bloodlust and rage so potent Yu could feel it from where he sat. Behind him, an ear-piercing screech sounded, and Yu was able to tear his eyes away from the savagery long enough to see Xirskam hurl his opponent off the edge. The spider's lifeless body slammed against a mushroom cap before sliding into the forest below, leaving a black smear of blood behind as it vanished from sight.

          The lone rider seemed to realize his luck was out, as he began to back away completely, but the fight wasn't over for him yet. Farther down the bridge, a small hooded figured stepped forward, the crossbow in their hand aimed right at him. With one squeeze of their finger, another bolt went flying, striking the man right in the chest with a powerful _thunk_. Several of his friends gasped at this, and he might have been one of them had he not been so wholly absorbed in what was going on.

          The rider stumbled back, coughing, blood flecking his lips, hands going for the bolt lodged in his chest. Alas, he stumbled too far, his foot slipping over the edge, and for one painfully long moment, he teetered there. Then he vanished over the side.

          At that moment, the last spider-who was still taking a beating-suddenly reared up and twisted away, pulling free at the cost of it's fang. Badly hurt and bleeding profusely by this point, it turned and bolted for the cavern wall.

          And it was barreling straight towards them.

          "Get out of the way!" Yu heard Tirin shout, and he scrambled for the side as fast as he was able. The others did likewise, pushing as close as they felt was safe to avoid the spider's legs as it shot passed.

          The armored man was giving chase, roaring angrily, and he thought he heard the hooded figure shout something to him. Whatever they'd said, it went right over his head as he ran after it. Sensing it's pursuer, and spider lifted it's abdomen and shot a violent cone of webs to throw him off.

          The sticky strands hit them all, a powerful blast that knocked them back.

          Right over the edge.

          The whole world seemed to sway, and a startled cry escaped him when he saw only open air between him and the very distant ground. The terrifying plunge abruptly ended, however, when the webs from the spider constricted around his chest and body like a sticky rope, cutting off his fall before it could truly begin. He swung there, feeling lightheaded as the realization of how close he'd just come to death hit him. But he forced himself to breathe evenly, forcing his eyes upward and looking for a way out.

          He could see Yosuke, Teddie, and Rise on his side, dangling from webs just like he was, and he could only assume the same was true for the others on the opposite edge. And, amazingly enough, he also saw that the rider who had fallen earlier was still there too, clinging to the fibrous strands to keep from falling. He looked like he didn't care at all for their plight, slowly crawling back up and ignoring them completely.

          "Is everyone okay?" he demanded, subconsciously gripping the strands.

          "W-were alive. D-don't know about 'okay'," Yosuke replied, panting, every muscle in his body coiled tight like a spring.

          "Oh my god . . ." Rise moaned, staring down at the long, long drop.

          Teddie's eyes were squeezed shut, and he was shaking like a leaf, but thankfully he looked unhurt.

          Looking up, Yu grit his teeth as he surveyed his options. The ledge was just out of his reach, and the webs, while helpful in stopping their fall, also limited his maneuverability. The sounds of a clash still echoed from the bridge proper, but it wasn't a priority. He had to focus on getting his friends out of this mess!

          Just then, a shadow leaned over the side and peered down at them, and Yu recognized the bright white eyes of the Shade Xirskam. Without a word, the creature reached down with his long arms and wrapped his talons under Yu's armpits, and Yu tried not to struggle for fear of those sharp claws cutting into him. With one sharp pull, the webs tore and went slack, and the next thing he knew, he was being set down on the ground.

          He barely paid heed to his trembling muscles, crawling back to the edge to ascertain his friend's safety. Xirskam was already freeing Yosuke, who looked all kinds of uncomfortable with the situation but not fighting the great shadow. Glancing behind him, he saw that the hooded figure from before was helping the others up, Chie and Yukiko already safely back on the bridge. The spider had scrambled to the edge, and he could see it was trying to climb to the underside and escape. It might have made it, too, if it's leg wasn't being grappled by an irate knight.

          Xirskam placed Yosuke beside him, and Yu gripped his arm in relief, "You alright?"

          Shaking but having enough nerve to let out a breathy laugh, he replied, "Not dangling over the edge anymore . . ."

          As Xirskam bent back down to help Rise, Yu caught sight of a commotion a mere eight feet away. The rider had made it back to the top, hands scrambling to find a hold, but waiting for him there was Tirin. The gloaming had his hands clasped to his sides, glaring down at the man with a sneer of strong dislike. The rider glared back, spitting something at him, but it was garbled by the blood that filled his mouth.

          "Hmph," Tirin sniffed, frowning, " _Usstan'sargh ulu l'vaen_."

          Then he kicked the rider straight in the face, dislodging him from his perch and sending him plunging to the depths below.

          Yu stared in stupefied shock. Yes, they were in a fight, but . . . that man had been injured, hardly a threat! Such an action hadn't been necessary at all! Yet Tirin didn't seem bothered by what he'd done. In fact, he almost looked . . . pleased?

          But he couldn't contemplate the cold act any further, for someone was shouting at them, the sound tearing him from his thoughts. Looking, he saw that the spider had torn free again, now lacking a leg. But it was teetering along the side, clearly on the verge of death. It shambled awkwardly sideways, bumbling towards them like a drunk elephant. Tirin leapt out of the way, and by that point, it began to slip, the last light in it's multiple eyes fading as it breathed it's last. It fell, claws scraping against the stalk as it slipped over the edge.

          But too Yu's horror, it's longest claw snagged at the webs that were holding Teddie, the black hook tearing through the silken strands like wet paper.

          For a few agonizingly slow moments, Teddie dangled on mere threads as Xirskam reached down to grab him. But before the Shade could, the threads gave way and snapped.

          With a terrified scream, he went tumbling over the side.

          In the brief moment of breathless, horrified silence that followed, Tirin was suddenly blitzing forward and hurling himself over the edge as well, vanishing from sight.

          Everything snapped back at once for Yu, and he screamed, "TEDDIE!"

          Yu heard the others rushing to his side as he slid to his knees, hands braced against stalk and peering desperately over the side. The mushroom caps below them still glowed, the water running clear. But of Tirin and Teddie, there was no sign.

          "Where are they? _Where are they?!_ " Chie asked, looking panicked.

          "Oh no, oh no, oh please no . . ." Rise mumbled, hands over her mouth and tears in her eyes.

          "Damn it. _Damn it!_ " he heard Yosuke hiss, voice strained and fingernails digging into his palms.

          It felt as if the seconds after that lasted an unbearable eternity, and his heart grew heavier and heavier with every one that passed. They couldn't be gone. _Teddie_ couldn't be gone! There had to be something, anything at all!

          Anything . . .

          _Whoosh._

          Wind brushed against back, and a voice too jovial for the current situation trilled, "Drop something?"

          Everyone spun around, eyes shooting up to the sky where the voice had come from. With a bizarre mixture of shock and relief, Yu saw Tirin hovering there, lips curved up into a cattish smile as he stared down on them. Yes, hovering, because apparently Tirin had _wings_ he had neglected to tell them about. Large black wings that, when looking closely, seemed to be comprised of semi-solid feathers made of opaque shadow, like bird wings sculpted out of pure darkness. Teddie dangled in his arms, clinging to the hands that were locked around his chest, shaking but thankfully alive.

          Landing on the bridge with a graceful swoop, Tirin set Teddie down, stepping back as the blonde was swarmed.

          "Teddie, are you okay?" Rise.

          "Man, you almost gave me heart attack!" Yosuke.

          "Hey, talk to us!" Kanji.

          "Come on, say something!" Chie.

          Reaching out, Yu clasped a hand against the boy's shoulder, "Teddie?"

          At first, all he did was shiver, which Yu could not fault him for at all. But, at the urging voices of his friends and the fact that he was on solid ground again, the glassy expression faded and he let out a short, nervous chuckle as he ran a hand through his hair, "Heh . . . I messed up my bearutiful hair . . . silly me."

          Everyone let out a unified sigh of relief, Yosuke reaching out and pressing a hand against the boy's head, "Damn, don't scare us like that again, dude . . . seriously."

          “Sorry Yosuke,” Teddie replied, this time looking a little remorseful.

          “Hey, don’t apologize. It’s not like you meant to fall,” Yukiko put in gently, “Is there anything we can get for you?”

          “Well . . .” an impish gleam appeared in Teddie’s eyes, “A smooch would be beary appreciated!”

          “Yep, he’s fine,” Chie said with a smile.

          “Indeed,” Naoto agreed, a half-smile of her own gracing her face.

          Yosuke sighed, but it wasn’t as long-suffering as it usually was, “Dumb bear . . .”

          As the others fussed, Yu turned to Tirin, nodding gratefully, "Thank you."

          Tirin shrugged, but there was a smile on his lips as he said, "You're very welcome."

          “Dude since when did you have wings?” Yosuke asked, staring at the feathery(?) appendages on the gloaming’s back.

          “I’ve always had them, you just don’t see them,” Tirin explained. As if to show what he meant, the wings behind him began to slowly fade away, the feathers appearing to merge with the darkness as all traces of their existence seemingly vanished like smoke, "See?"

          “Whoa . . .” Kanji said.

          “Well, we’re in the clear now,” Tirin said. His face sobered a little, “Sorry about this mess . . . leave it to drow to ruin even the good things . . .”

          “Drow?” Yukiko inquired.

          “The ones who attacked us,” Naoto guessed.

          Tirin nodded, a slight scowl coming over him, “Yes.”

          “What happened to the girl?” Chie asked, a hand still clutching Yukiko by the shoulder as if afraid someone else would try and grab her, “She just . . . disappeared.”

          “Ran as soon as we attacked,” Tirin explained in a tone that could only be scorn, “She knew she couldn’t win, so she cut her losses and left. Drow do that a lot.”

          He . . . really did not seem to like these ‘drow’, judging by his tone alone. Just where did this enmity come from?

          An image of Tirin kicking the rider off the edge without a shred of remorse flashed through his mind, and Yu had to suppress a shudder.

          “But!” Tirin said, clapping his hands together and looking considerably more cheerful, “Now that that’s taken care of-”

          He stepped aside and held up a hand, and all eyes fell on the duo who had come to their rescue.

          “I’d like you to meet some friends of mine!”

          The man was bigger up close, easily six and half feet high and looming over all of them. Black and gray plate mail covered him from head to toe, the chest piece bearing numerous spiked studs that ran in bands down the armor. Massive pauldrons were situated on his shoulders, spikes decorating the surface, the longest being almost a foot in length. With a shiver, Yu could see one of those pauldrons glimmer black in the light, knowing full well it was blood. Black leather gloves were on his hands, the knuckles of each one embedded with a thick metal stud, perfect for punching heads in as evidenced by that spider. The dirt-brown boots on his feet had thick metal soles, each one slightly wider around the vamp, and brassy metal bands ran from the sides of the soles to the tops. A belt was around his waist, a few potions and a set of metal staves attached via pockets in the brown leather that made them easy to grab. He wore a helmet on his head, one crafted to resemble the skull of a ram, a frightening visage for any to behold. Rubies that seemed to burn with an inner fire were embedded in the eyeholes, and the tips of the curved horns were shod in dark metal. The underside of the helmet was open however, and Yu could just make out the thick, sturdy jaw beneath. With a start, he also saw what looked like small _tusks_ jutting out of the man's mouth, and he swallowed involuntarily.

          With a grunt, the man reached down and collected his hammer, bracing it easily against a spiked shoulder. The head looked worn and well-used but still very sturdy, a weathered veteran of countless battles. The broad side of one end still dripped ichor onto the floor below, pieces of chitin still clinging to the blood-covered metal. On the hammer's opposite end, a massive onyx was embedded into the shaft, the inky darkness of the gem seeming to absorb any light that came close.

Yu swallowed a lump down as the man came near. He still remembered, quite vividly, the brutal savagery with which he had attacked his opponents, his fearsome war cry still ringing in his ears.

          His companion was of much smaller stature, and up close, looked noticeably more feminine. A dark blue vestment covered her torso, a pretty dark blue robe of silk woven with a shiny metallic thread in an elegant waterfall pattern. Dark leather boots were on her feet, the golden threads wound tightly around the cuff shimmering in the gloom. Bronze bracers were on her wrists, the image of an open eye emblazoned on each. Dangling from her neck via a heavy gold chain was a fist-sized orb painted to resemble the eye of a dragon, and Yu got the uncomfortable impression of being watched when he looked at it. A vellum tube was attached to her waist, along with a satchel and a brown bag that could be another Bag of Holding, but he couldn't be sure. A simple black hood was pulled over her head, its black train winding around her neck and shoulders like a dark shawl. For some strange reason, every time he tried to look closer at her face, it felt as if his attention would wane and his eyes would slip away, like some part of himself saw nothing of interest.

          What he did find interesting was the crossbow that sat in her hands. It was of elegant make, the body carved from rowan and inlaid with silver tracery along the limbs and foregrip. The tips were shod with silver, and blue metal wire was wrapped around the grip. A quiver was slung around her waist, the golden heads of several bolts peeking over the folded lip, in easy grabbing distance. Her aim was a deadly one, as he'd witnessed, and he was glad he was not on the business end of her bow.

          These were Tirin's friends? But wait, if that was so, then did that mean-?!

          "Tch!" The man suddenly snorted, the sound making anxiety shoot down Yu's spine. It took him a moment to realize it was one of amusement, "You really weren't kiddin', were ya?"

          "Indeed, it seems he was not," the woman said in wonder, bracing her free hand against her hip, "A miracle then! We haven't been dragged into some meaningless prank."

          Tirin feigned hurt, holding a hand over his heart and waxing, "Oh Nyras, don't you have more faith in little old me? Why, the nerve of insinuating I would ever play something as juvenile as a prank!"

          The man grunted, "Yeah, tell that to the fletcher at Dresden."

          At this, Tirin grinned, shoulders shaking as a maniac little giggle escaped him.

          "Enough about that. I'm certain these children are quite curious to know who we are," the woman said as she refocused her attention on the group, "Allow us to introduce ourselves."

          With one sweep of her hand, the hood fell back and banished the shadows obscuring her face from view. At the same time, the man reached up and yanked his helmet off with deft tug, revealing his own face as well.

          Behind him, gasps rose and jaws fell once more, and Yu could feel both Naoto and Kanji completely freeze as their doppelgangers, the ones they'd only theorized over, suddenly became flesh and blood before them.

          "My name is Nyras Theron," the Naoto look-alike said.

          "Name's Korval," the Kanji look-alike grunted.

          "And it would seem," the newly known 'Nyras' continued, "That we have a problem."

(*)

          The room was dark, lit only by the candelabras of glowing crystal affixed to the smooth stone walls. A 'throne' of webs sat on the far end of room opposite the ornate double doors, the silken strands gleaming like ice in a shadowed glacier. The webs formed an intricate tunnel recessed into an alcove the purpled stone, the outlying threads woven into beautiful and otherworldly designs that bore a resemblance to magical runes. A beautiful woman perched before it, her skin as polished and smooth as ebony, a crown of wrought adamantine settled upon her brow. White hair tumbled down her slender shoulders in waves like snow atop a dark mountain, and her smoldering red eyes glowed like cinders in the dark. A fine vestment of black and silver was wrapped around her torso, the billowing sleeves and jeweled collar marking her highborn status; the raiment of a high priestess. The rest of her body was hidden in the darkness of the webbed throne.

          At her side were two figures; at her right was a drow man dressed in leather armor and carrying a pair of swords strapped to his sides, silver hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. His face was completely neutral, standing as still as the stone itself as he observed everything through carefully guarded eyes. On her left was another woman wearing a long, billowing robe that was plain by anyone's standards, the modest clothing obscuring her every feature from sight. The only visible portion of her body to be seen were her hands and her mouth, and the pale skin was enough to mark her as not of the drow people. But her manicured claws, as sharp as knives, were enough to show that she was much more than merely human.

          All three stared down at a lone drow kneeling before them, her hand pressed over her heart and her head bowed low in reverence, the silver circlet upon her brow glinting.

          Pressing the tips of her long fingers together, the high priestess spoke in voice that was both smooth as silk and hard as stone, "And . . . are you certain this is what you saw?"

          The prostrating woman nodded, "Yes, Lady Phaedra. Children who have the faces of the Champions of the Seventh Crusade. I would not waste your time unless I was certain."

          The priestess narrowed her eyes, "And this is all you know? You did not stay to gather more information?"

          The bowing drow's face was neutral, but the bead of sweat clinging to her brow betrayed her nervousness. She spoke slowly, picking her words very carefully, "The Champions are more than this lowly priestess is capable of handling. As such, I believed it more important to deliver this news to you, My Lady."

          "Your cowardice reflects poorly on our people," Phaedra admonished sharply, "Lolth will be displeased."

          The drow on the floor swallowed.

          Then, another voice spoke up, a delicate whisper like wind through the rattling branches of a barren tree, "If I might speak, Lady Phaedra . . ."

          The drow snapped her head in the robed woman's direction, clearly disgruntled by her interruption. Then, focusing her attention ahead, she nodded curtly, "Speak."

          "This phenomenon your protégé encountered is exactly what I have been telling you of. The signs of change that mark the beginning of calamity," the woman said. Stepping forward, she extended a hand and the lights from the crystals began to flicker. Her fingers twitched, and suddenly they went out entirely as their internal light was torn from them. The glowing orbs flew to her waiting hand, gathering into a single large ball that hovered mere inches above her palm. Rolling her fingers in a gentle wave, the orb began to waver and quake, "The multiverse is vast and limitless, but bordered by many invisible walls. These walls separate us, divide us. But they also supply a certain order that most lesser creatures have come to rely on. But now . . . those walls are _breaking_."

          She crushed her hand into a violent fist and the orb shattered, the whole room descending into darkness. It mattered not to the ones who inhabited it, for they all could see just as well in the dark as they could in the light.

          For a moment, all was silence. Then, the woman spoke again, "Do you see now, my Lady Phaedra? What I have told you is truth."

          Phaedra stared her down for a moment. Then, she nodded, "Perhaps . . . there is more merit in your story than I gave credit."

          Turning to the drow still kneeling, she flicked her hand in dismissal, "Leave us."

          The woman rose to her feet and bowed once in respect. Then she departed, leaving them in peace.

           "Now," Phaedra continued as she quietly weaved several spells around the room to prevent eavesdroppers, "Before I make any decisions, I'll need to know thus; what exactly are you planning to do?"

          At this, the woman smiled, "First, I plan to find allies. After all, the Champions will naturally try to upend my plans. It is only natural to have others who equal their strength in the battlefield at my side."

          "You speak as if they already know of your plans," Phaedra replied.

          "Oh, they will. At least, what they think my plans will be. After all, I plan to pay them a visit," the woman said.

          At this, Phaedra narrowed her eyes, "That seems foolish. Why give them even a hint towards your goals? Why not carry on in secrecy until it is too late?"

          "Because I want them to _fear_ ," was the woman's dark reply, "Fear is a powerful weapon, one few give inclination towards. It has the power to cripple even the strongest of men, to make even the most reasonable person mad. Give someone something to fear, and they will tear themselves apart trying to avoid it. The same is true of nations. In the end, I want them all to know fear in its truest form."

          Looking upwards as if an open sky were above her head rather than miles of stone, the woman smirked deeply, "The time has finally come . . . the Night of No Stars is about to begin." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some handy dandy translations for you all, since most of you don't speak Drow. ;)
> 
> Al, al, vel'bol inbal udos ghil? - Well, well, what do we have here?  
> Venorsh! - Silence!  
> Vel'bol xun dos ssinssrin? - What do you want?  
> Dos gaer. Dos ph'uss dl'Vidostha ph'dos naut? Tirin, usstan z'reninth - You there. You are one of the Champions, are you not? Tirin, I believe.  
> Vel'bol ka usstan telanthus siyo? Orn'la dos ori'gato udossa k'lararl? - What if I said yes? Would you let us pass?  
> Xal'ka dos'balus tlus maglust. Usstan tlun nau wael. Jhal . . . dos phuul naut maglust, ph'dos? - Perhaps if you'd been alone. I am no fool. But . . . you are not alone, are you?  
> Val'kyroc. Xor dkinoss zah'har l'umbrenen - Surrender. Or else suffer the consequences.  
> Huertar. F'sarn naut natha zaale j'nesst - Hurry. Before I lose my patience.  
> Usstan'sargh ulu l'vaen - Arrogant to the last.


	7. New, Yet Familiar, Faces

          It was their first meeting with Tirin all over again, and, in hindsight, Yu should have been prepared for that. But he was not, and neither were any of his friends, judging by the stupefied silence that was reigning supreme yet again.

          The woman, Nyras, was indeed the spitting image of Naoto, although he could see a few slight dissimilarities. For one, her hair was a longer, enough so that she could tie it into a ponytail that draped over her left shoulder. There was also a scar on her right cheek, a horizontal slash that was at perfect level with a small notch in her right ear. A blade wound of some kind? She looked perfectly calm, yet Yu could see the slight tension in her brow and the way her finger rested just above the trigger of her crossbow, as if she were anticipating another ambush at any moment.

          But really, the person who was really grabbing his attention was Korval. Like the rest of these weird counterparts, he looked frightfully similar to Kanji, though he was a bit taller and thicker where muscle was concerned. Stringy bits of web still clung to his armor, gossamer strands that were only visible when he stood at just the right angle. But his physical appearance was a different too, in the same way Tirin was different from Teddie. His face was a little broader, his nose more flat, and his ears a tad more pointed, unusual by anyone’s standards. Two metallic studs were pierced through the lobes of each ear, and one through the cartilage of the upper shell on the left, looking eerily similar to a tooth. The most strikingly different feature, however, were the small tusks jutting out of his bottom jaw, the sharp tips curving around his upper lip.

          _So I didn’t imagine that_ , he thought, staring. The image of the man before him, so warlike and ferocious, stirred a half-forgotten memory in Yu’s mind, but he could not think of a name to give to what he saw.

          Their silence persisted, only to be broken when Korval finally gestured at them with a thumb and cocked his head to Tirin, “Uh, they okay?”

          “They’re fine, they just do that a lot,” the gloaming replied, watching the proceedings with a smile.

          “Well, if even half of what you told us in your letter is true, this must all come as a bit of a shock,” Nyras said. She gave the blonde a more stern look, “I hope you haven’t been exploiting that detail for your own amusement, Tirin.”

          Tirin held up his hands, “Perish the thought!”

          Nyras’ stare remained suspicious, “Hm . . .”

          Yu jumped when the brutish looking Korval suddenly stomped closer to them, the heavy thuds of his boots making the pliant bark beneath them groan. He felt everyone tense behind him, drawing a little closer together out of habit as the big man(?) stopped just in front of them, black eyes studiously roving over every face. Closer, Yu noticed his skin looked . . . odd. Was it . . . was it _green_ -?

Korval’s snort made his eyes snap up, only to find that he wasn’t looking at him at all. Rather, Korval’s attention was on a figure behind him. He got no points for guessing who.

          “Ha!” he laughed suddenly, leaning forward to look Kanji evenly in the eye, “This little guy is supposed to be me? Hey, Nyras, check it out!”

          Kanji leaned back, eyes wide and looking freaked out, “Holy _shit_ . . .”

          Yosuke, staring as well, stuttered in shock, “D-dude, just what the hell are you?”

          Yu winced. That was _not_ a smart thing to say.

          A fact that became all the more evident when Korval shot Yosuke a fierce glare, standing to his full height with nostrils flaring, voice a dangerous timber, “I’m a half-orc. Ya got a problem with that?”

          Half- . . . orc? He could sense the stunned shock at this revelation coming off of everyone else in waves. The half-memory from before flared to life, inviting images of mythological war bands and green monstrosities that terrorized villages, the go-to bad guys for any fantasy-based movie or book. But . . . Korval wasn't a bad guy, right?

          Yosuke, who was rapidly shaking his head, squeaked aloud, “N-n-n-no sir!”

          “Alas, poor Yosuke, I knew him well,” Yu heard Teddie mumble solemnly. He noticed Chie bow formally out of the corner of his eye.

          “Sh-sh-shut up!” Yosuke snapped at him, only to go rigid as Korval shifted the grip on his hammer. Whether he was just adjusting it or was making a very subtle threat, Yu actually couldn’t tell. Which might have been for the best, honestly.

          Then Nyras was by Korval’s side, placing a placating hand on his arm and saying, “May I remind you, Korval, that Tirin’s letter specifically mentioned that much of what makes up our world is lacking in theirs. I’m willing to assume that the existence of orcs is one such thing, seeing as your counterpart is fully human.”

          She glanced his way, and Yu realized that she was subtly asking him to confirm her statement, “U-uh, yes, she’s right. Orcs don’t exist. And neither do, um, half-orcs. Yosuke didn’t mean to offend you, so please, spare his life.”

          “Y-yes, please, spare my life,” Yosuke pleaded, clapping his hands together and bowing.

          Korval raised an eyebrow, but Yu saw that the anger was fading, “Spare his life? Ya make it sound like I was gonna kill him or somethin'.”

          Sighing, he scratched is jaw and said, a touch of embarrassment in his voice, “But I guess I did take it a bit far, huh? Sorry ‘bout that. Scarin’ ya , I mean.”

          The only sound was Yosuke's sigh of relief and everyone shifting uncomfortably where they stood. It wasn't that the apology was not accepted, but . . . the aura the big, uh, half-orc, gave off was . . . quite potent.

          _Its like the first time we met Kanji_ , Yu thought, reflecting. Had he and his friends not also been a little afraid of the punk-ish boy, like they were now? Certainly. Although, Kanji hadn't beaten a giant spider's face in with his bare hands when they'd first met, so . . . that was different. But, Yu had to remember that Kanji had been much more than just the outer mask they'd seen back then. And besides, Korval was apologizing for his behavior right off the bat. The whole mask issue was no doubt the same for Korval, even if he was . . . covered in blood, and huge, and looking like he could snap him in half with just his pinkie . . .

          . . . really not the train of thought he should be thinking of right now . . .

          _He apologized,_ Yu forced himself to remember, _Be the bigger man and accept it!_

          Of course, the notion of 'being a bigger man' nearly fled when Korval turned his stare to him as he stepped forward, and he had to stop himself from visibly swallowing as he spoke, "It's . . . not a problem. And, we apologize if we offended you in any way. You have to understand, we're . . . not exactly from around here."

          Korval continued to stare, and Yu thought he would just about shrivel up from the intensity of it when the orc-man suddenly grinned and slapped a hand against his shoulder. It took all of Yu's skill and concentration just to stay on his feet.

          "Nah, I get that, really! S'just a touchy subject ya brought up, is all," Korval explained. Squinting, his grin grew bigger, "Hey, I see it now! Ya must be Yalathas' other!"

          Yala . . . what?

          "No no no, Korval, be quiet!" Tirin suddenly shouted, scrabbling forward and waving his hands in front of the green man, "You'll spoil the surprises!"

          Korval narrowed his eyes, "What? Who cares if I tell 'em, s'not like its a secret."

          "I care! Did you _not_ see their faces when they saw you? The shock, the slack-jawed mouths, the slightly misted expressions as everything sinks in, it's _hilarious_! Why would you ruin that?"

          "Who gives a shit?!"

          Tirin crossed his arms, huffing indignantly, "Leave it to orcs to fail to understand the subtle nuances of humor."

          "Oh, you did _not_ just go there, gloaming!" Korval shouted.

          "I did, and I'll go again!" Tirin shot back, immaturely sticking his tongue out, " _Cretok-ssuu!_ "

          A vein popped in Korval's temple, "That's it, C'MERE!"

          He lashed out with a hand in an attempt to grab the impertinent glooming, but Tirin ducked and dodged the swing with ease. Korval tried again, reaching down, but Tirin was ready again and rolled out of the way. Springing to his feet, the gloaming jumped and grabbed hold of one of the spikes on the orc's pauldrons, using his momentum to swing onto his back and cling there like some sort of bizarre monkey.

          "AAAH!!" Korval screamed in frustration, spinning around and trying to grab the slippery blonde, " _Just wait till I get my hands on ya, ya little shit!_ "

          Yu and the others stared in nothing short of stupefied awe, until Yosuke's rather humbled voice quietly spoke, "Man, Tirin . . . T-Tirin sure likes to live dangerously, doesn't he?"

          "Yeah . . . Chie breathed, jaw hanging slack.

          "Insane . . . the other me is so unbearlivably insane!" Teddie balked, watching in fascinated horror.

          " . . . is . . ." for the first time since this meeting, Kanji spoke, looking strangely glassy-eyed, "Is this how you guys felt when ya met me? Cause if it is . . . I'm sorry."

          "Oh no, you weren't like this Kanji-kun!" Yukiko consoled. Frowning slightly, she kneaded her hands together and added, "Sure, you could be a bit gruff, but there are lots of people like that. Honestly, Korval-san is . . . just scary."

          "Terrifying . . ." Rise amended.

          "He beat a giant spider's face in with his bare hands, I don't know how _any_ human could top that," Yosuke said.

          "Do forgive their antics. They haven't seen each other in quite some time, you see."

          Yu eyes fell on Nyras, who had finally taken center-stage. She looked completely unfazed by the fighting behind her (if fighting was what that was), hinting that this was . . . a common occurrence. Oh boy . . .

          "Although, they could have saved such larking about for later," the woman added on, free hand braced against her hip, "I imagine you have enough on your mind as it is."

          "U-uh . . ." was all Yu could manage.

          Nyras' eyes flicked to him, and he felt worry curl in his stomach when she suddenly frowned. Walking forward until she stood right in front of him, she reached out and Yu felt her fingers brush his cheek. Pain suddenly flared, fresh and hot, and Yu recoiled from her touch.

          _Ah, the whip . . ._ he remembered belatedly.

          “You’re hurt,” she said evenly as she reached around and dug into her bag. When her hand withdrew, she was holding a small cloth, which she quickly bundled into a ball and pressed against his cheek. He hissed in pain, but he was ready for it this time.

          “Hold this against it for now,” she instructed, “Once we get somewhere safer, we can treat it properly.”

          He did as he was told, fighting to ignore the burning sting in order to pay attention to what was going on. Moving passed him, she walked to where Naoto stood, who was looking a little uncertain over what to do in the presence of her other.

          But Nyras only smiled reassuringly before taking hold of Naoto’s right hand. Holding it up, Yu saw the angry welt on the back of Naoto’s hand, blood oozing from the wound and dripping to the floor.

          Pulling out a similar cloth, Nyras bound it tight around the girl's hand, earning a wince from Naoto, “There, that should hold you for now.”

          “. . . T-thank you,” Naoto spoke for the first time, lowering her gaze but sounding grateful all the same.

          Nyras nodded before turning around, lifting her voice to address the still bickering pair, “Korval, Tirin, we would do well to find a camp for the evening! Please, finish up here so we can be on our way.”

          At once, the two halted their shenanigans. It was only then Yu saw the bright grin on Tirin's face as he hopped off his unwitting perch, blue eyes shimmering with excitement. Huh, he must have been having fun.

          _She did say that hadn't seen each other in a while . . ._ Yu reflected.

          The gloaming gave a showy bow, still smiling, "Why of course! Leave it to your trusty rogue!"

          Korval, who was rubbing the back of his head and looking somewhat embarrassed, nodded, "Yeah, we'll do that," glancing at his smaller companion, he added with a growl, "And this ain't over."

          Tirin just grinned in reply and playfully nudged the orc's arm before twirling around and prancing down the bridge, looking exponentially happier now that he had more familiar company. Korval, meanwhile, shook his head and rolled his eyes, seeming quite put-off. At least, until Yu noticed his lips twitch into a very small, fond smile. It was gone in an instant, the big man turning away and crouching down to examine the body of the one 'drow' who still lay on the bridge.

          A body, with glassy eyes staring at nothing, mouth still agape and blood puddling across the stalk, striking crimson against the pale bark. It was all Yu needed to see to remember that, enemies or not, people had died here.

          Korval didn't seem to care, because suddenly, he was reaching out and rifling through the dead man's pockets, upending bolts and coins and whatever else lay stored on his person. The blatant disregard for the corpse made his stomach churn, a disgusted frown stealing it's way to his face and staying there.

          "H-hey, what are you doing?" Yosuke demanded, looking sufficiently grossed out.

          Korval looked back, eyebrow raised, a small silver pouch dangling in his hands, "Looting, what's it look like?"

          "B-but he's . . ." Rise started, hands pressed close to her stomach, "You can't just . . ."

          Nyras and Korval shared a glance, but the woman seemed to understand there discomfort quickly, as she faced them head-on, "Never you mind that. Please, follow me."

          She began to walk, and, after a moment of uncomfortable disquiet where Korval shrugged and went back to his morbid task, they followed. Yu found his eyes wandering to the forest below them, the lights of caps glowing undisturbed. But the beauty felt tainted now, the memory spoiled by the blood that had been spilled. He forced his gaze ahead, taking up his place at the head of the group. He still had a duty to lead.

          "Is this . . . 'looting' a normal custom here?" he heard Naoto question.

          Nyras nodded, eyes remaining locked ahead, crossbow out, "Yes, insofar as our enemies are concerned. I understand if the practice appalls you. Such habits are not normally ordained by common citizenry."

          "I . . . might understand had it fallen under the practical needs of survival," Naoto admitted, "But you hardly seem to be wanting for supplies."

          "And maybe they were bad people, but . . . it just seems wrong to take stuff like that," Chie added softly, looking disturbed.

          "I do not begrudge you that viewpoint. But it has less to do with gathering supplies than it does with looking for information. Drow slave bands do not normally come this close to the surface unless they have been specifically tasked with something. Especially not with a priestess in their midst," Nyras explained coolly, unruffled by the air of disquiet.

          "A . . . slave band?" Teddie inquired.

          Nyras nodded, "Slavery is a common practice down here in the Underdark, and the drow are particularly cruel offenders of the trade. You are lucky Korval and I got to you in time, otherwise you may have witnessed firsthand just how cruel."

          Yu shivered at the implication. Swallowing, he spoke, "Thank you. You're right, we were all in trouble there."

          "How did you find us?" Rise asked, a spark of genuine curiosity lighting hr eyes, "This place is like a maze."

          "You did mention something about Tirin delivering you a letter at one point," Naoto observed, "Though how he managed that is unknown to me."

          "Hm, perceptive," Nyras said, a touch of approval coloring her tone as she glanced at the girl, "Good. An awareness like that will help you greatly in this world."

          Naoto blinked, a faint flush of color coming to her cheeks.

          "Tirin did send us a letter," Nyras went on, "He found something of ours and decided to get into contact with us."

          "But how'd he do that?" Yosuke asked, "He was with us the whole time."

          "He sent Xirskam ahead," Nyras explained patiently, "Shades have the power to travel through the Shadow Plane. The plane's warped nature allows it so what might be one mile there could be dozens here. Given that, is it really so surprising Xirskam was able to deliver a letter and be back before you woke?"

          "W-whoa . . ." Yosuke mumbled.

          "I wish we could do that. Sounds way easier than trucking around underground all day," Chie commented.

          "Even if you could, I highly doubt you'd find the Shadow Plane to your liking. By anyone's standards the landscape is alien, and it is beholden to its own dangers," Nyras told them. She suddenly held up a hand, and Yu realized they'd reached the end of the bridge.

          With graceful ease, Nyras jumped down from the stalk and landed sure-footedly on the ground below. Gesturing to them, she said, "Hurry. It's not a long drop, you'll make it."

          Everyone hesitated, and finally, Yu looked back to address them, "I'll go first."

          "But-"

          Yu cut Yosuke off, "It'll be fine. And besides, once I'm there, I can focus on helping the rest of you."

          Everyone held there breath as Yu stepped closer to the edge, and he tried not to look at the drop yawning a mere two feet away from the ledge.

          _Be the cat_ , he thought, _Cats always land on their feet._

          Exhaling and keeping his eyes on the spot he wanted to land on, he tensed his muscles and sprang. For a few moments, he was falling weightless. Then his feet hit the rock, and he stumbled upright as the vertigo subsided. Grinning, he looked up and held up a thumb, "See? You'll all make it!"

          "O-okay! Let's so it!" Chie shouted. Without waiting, she leapt down, landing right beside Yu with a sprightly hop, "Woohoo!"

          Yukiko went next, frowning and fiddling with the hem of her kimono, "I don't know . . . this kimono really is not meant for such activities . . ."

          "Don't worry, Yukiko! I'll catch you!" Chie promised, planting herself in a position where she could do just that.

          Emboldened a little by this, Yukiko managed a smile, "Okay. Here . . . I . . . go!"

          She jumped, landing and nearly losing her balance thanks to her skirt until Chie steadied her with her arms. Grinning, she said, "See, told you I'd catch ya!"

          "Ya sure ya don't need help down?" Kanji asked Naoto yet again, looking from her to the floor and back again.

           Naoto nodded, though her patience looked like it was starting to wear thin, "I'll be just fine, I assure you, Kanji."

          Without waiting for another question, she jumped, landing squarely on the stone, hand pressed firmly to her head to keep her hat from flying away.

          Kanji breathed a sigh of relief, then squared his shoulders, "Okay, my turn!"

          With a roar, he jumped off and hit the ground, stumbling forward a bit but sticking his landing all the same.

          "Senpai, you'll catch me, right?" Rise asked as she stood at the edge, looking at him hopefully.

          "Of course," Yu replied. Of course he wasn't just going to let her fall.

          Smiling, Rise closed her eyes (a little dangerous, on her part) and leapt for him. She landed in front of him, and he placed stabilizing hands on her shoulders to keep her steady. Blushing faintly, Rise smiled and twiddled a finger in her hair, "Hehe, thank you Senpai!"

          Before Yu could reply, a ruckus from a top the bridge stole his attention.

          "But Yos-kuuuue!"

          "Just _go_ , you stupid bear! Look, there's like seven people who can catch you! You're not gonna fall!"

          Yosuke was trying to push the bear forward, but Teddie was having absolutely none of it. Given his previous fall, Yu couldn't find it in his heart to blame him.

          "Come on, you can do it, Teddie!" Yukiko encouraged.

          Rise quickly hopped on board, "See, I made it! You can too!"

          "O-oh, well, if Yuki-chan and Rise-chan ask me too . . ." Teddie amended, trying to cover up his previous fright with some bravado. Still, when he looked at the drop nearby, he noticeably swallowed.

          "Just keep your eyes on us," Yu encouraged, smiling.

          Teddie did as he was told, looking a little more heartened by the support. Then, closing his eyes, he jumped, " _Geronimo!_ "

          He made it to the safe spot, but his feet slid out from under him and he landed on his butt. Rubbing the sore spot, the blonde sniffed, "Ow . . ."

          Reaching down, Yu helped him back to his feet, smiling approvingly, "Good job."

          "Hey, come on Yosuke, we're waitin' on you!" Chie shouted.

          "Yeah, I'm coming, just hold you horses!" Yosuke shot back.

          Bunching his muscles, the boy sprang forward, hitting the stone with a _thunk_. But he misaimed it, and his left foot hit the edge of the drop. Yosuke arms flailed out, body leaning precariously back, "WAH!"

          "Yosuke!" shooting forward like a snake, Yu reached out and grabbed hold of one of the boy's flailing wrists, pulling him back with all his might. He pulled a little too hard, however, as suddenly Yosuke was falling into his chest and knocking them both flat on the floor.

          Yu lay there for one stunned moment, the only real thing the warm weight on his chest until the sound of his friends worried voices roused him back to awareness. Yosuke sat up, and he followed right after, rubbing his head where it had hit the stone.

          Yosuke exhaled shakily, "T-that was way too close for comfort. Thanks man."

          Yu shook his head, "I'm just glad you're okay."

          "Jeez, watch where you're jumping next time!" Chie scolded.

          Yosuke frowned at her, "Thanks Chie, really feeling the concern right now."

          Relieved that his best friend was all right and no worse for wear, Yu collected the cloth he'd dropped and rose to his feet in order to look around. Only to wish he hadn't when he saw the bodies splayed along the plateau. There were only three, but the condition they were in was . . . bad. Sundered armor, broken weapons, _blood_ . . .

          Tearing his eyes away from the grisly sight, he noticed Nyras move away, understanding why when Tirin came trotting towards her, speaking loud enough for all of them to hear, "Xirskam and I scouted ahead, and it looks like there aren't any surprises waiting for us along the way. In other words, smooth sailing!"

          "Good," Nyras said. Turning to them, she asked, "I take it you are all ready to move on?"

          Yu glanced at his friends, who all gave him affirmative nods. With that, he looked back to Nyras and said, "We are."

          All of sudden, Korval came leaping down from the stalk, landing with such force Yu was certain he rose about a centimeter off the ground. Briskly striding passed them (as most everyone quickly skittered out of his way) until he stood before Nyras, he said, "Wasn't much on him except some coins and his weapons. I don't think he was carrying any orders."

          "If they were, the priestess was probably the one who had them," Tirin put in, lacing his hands behind his head, "And she ran as soon you two showed up."

          Nyras crossed her arms, "That would be a safe assumption, but it never hurts to try. Still, it would be prudent of us to keep this in mind. There are numerous surface villages near this particular crossroads, many of which lack a proper military to defend them in the event of a surprise attack. I'm certain they will appreciate the warning."

          Korval smiled, a touch of pride in his voice, "Haha, that's my Nyras! Always thinkin' bout the little guys!"

          Huh, that was a . . . strangely personal remark from Korval. And much more forward than he would have thought possible considering Kanji's inability to talk to Naoto straight without stuttering.

          Nyras only smiled, "I'd like to think such a course of action would be something we'd all take, _lieling_. But for now, let us be on our way."

          Her voice seemed . . . noticeably warmer when addressing Korval, enough so that it was drawing some puzzled stares. Also, _lieling_? What did that mean?

          "Ah!" Nyras stopped suddenly, then turned around, "I've just realized; I've neglected to ask you your names."

          "They're weird names," Tirin said, eyes teasing.

          Yosuke fell for it, "H-hey, they're not weird where we're from!"

           "Hey, who you callin' weird?" Kanji demanded, also falling for it.

          Yu quickly intervened before things took a turn for the worse, giving a formal bow, "You can call me Yu Narukami."

          "And I'm Chie Satonaka!" Chie said, stepping up as well.

          "Yukiko Amagi," Yukiko said with a polite bow, "A pleasure to meet you."

          "Rise Kujikawa," Rise said with a smile.

          Yosuke, after giving another glare to the grinning Tirin, said, "Yosuke Hanamura. Nice to meet you . . . I guess."

          Kanji crossed his arms, sparing a glance to his hulking other before looking any other direction, "Name's Kanji Tatsumi."

          Naoto, too, shifted a little uncomfortably as her counterpart's eyes turned on her, but she answered with her typical poise, "My name is Naoto Shirogane."

          "And I'm Teddie!" Teddie greeted. Fixing on a more suave smile, he added to Nyras, "But you can call me 'the man of your dreams'!"

          The literal moment those words left his mouth, Korval fixed the boy with an incredibly intense and angry glare. With a squeak, Teddie dove behind Yosuke, who had taken an involuntarily step back as well.

          "Korval," Nyras said warningly, and the great man let out a sharp exhale.

          "Yeah, yeah, I know," he mumbled, "He's just a dumb kid."

          "And?"

          Arms crossed and somehow managing a _pout,_ of all things, Korval grumbled, "And you can get rid of unwanted suitors on your own."

          "Indeed. Now . . ." Nyras returned her attention to them, "Let us be away from here. We still have those wounds to treat, and I'm certain you all wish to rest."

          With that, she turned away again. She was right, rest sounded pretty good. And food. It felt like ages since that spice bread.

          But Korval's strangely protective bent and following exchange stuck with him. It was . . . very odd. Like it had happened before but was something the two openly accepted and embraced. How very curious . . .

          Rubbing the back of his head, Korval gestured to the group with a hand, "Well, ya heard the lady! Let's go!"

          Yu looked at his friends and urged them to do as he said with a nod of his head. Tirin was in the lead, heading towards the tunnel that sloped up, Nyras just behind him. Korval waited until they had all passed before pushing his helmet back on his head and taking up the rear, and while Yu would admit that the big man was a bit intimidating, he felt glad that he was watching their backs.

          He was also glad to get a move on. He wanted to hope that the battle and the bodies left behind would be the last they'd experience here.

          With a sinking heart, he wondered if such hope was naive.

          "Man, I'm never gonna get used to this," he heard Yosuke grumble.

          "It gets weirder when you meet you, trust me," Kanji mumbled, "Especially when it turns out the other you ain't human."

          "That is an odd peculiarity," Naoto agreed, keeping her voice low, "Tirin I had understood being different, but I had assumed our counterparts would have all been human."

          "Well, I guess that isn't the case, huh?" Chie asked.

          "I wonder if my counterpart isn't human," Yukiko mused. Her eyes gleamed strangely in the gloom, "I think I'd like to be an elf."

          "This isn't an rpg, Yukiko-san," Yosuke said, folding his arms, "But you do have a point. I'm kinda wondering the same thing myself now."

          "Well, these guys definitely seem to know each other, so we could ask them," Rise suggested.

          "Normally, I'd say go for it. Except I think Tirin has other plans," Yu put in, glancing at the blonde. As if sensing his staring, Tirin abruptly looked over his shoulder and locked eyes with him, smiling as he did so. Yu quickly looked away.

          "No kidding . . . " Yosuke shot Teddie a look, "Man, why's your other gotta be annoying too?"

          "Hey, it's not my fault!" Teddie protested.

          "I hope we camp soon," Rise groaned, "My feet are killing me."

          "Yeah . . ." Kanji said.

          They carried on for a few more paces in silence. Then, Yosuke quietly fell in step beside him. When Yu saw the slightly worried gleam in his eyes, he gave him his full attention, "What is it?"

          "Well . . ." Yosuke started, whispering, "I don't really think there's a point in bringing it up anymore, but . . . did you see what happened on the bridge? With Tirin?"

          Yu swallowed as he remembered, "I did."

          Yosuke seemed relieved, "So I wasn't the only one. Good . . ." he gave a shifty glance at the aforementioned blonde before continuing, "I mean, I know we were in a fight, but didn't . . . didn't what he did seem cold?"

          Yu nodded, "It did. But we can't exactly bring it up with him."

          "I know that, it's just . . ." Yosuke fiddled with his headphones, "I get that Tirin's a different person, but that just seemed . . . too different."

          Yosuke's eyes trailed briefly to Teddie, then fell to the floor. Yu understood how this might be more difficult for him to swallow. After all, he lived with the bear on a practically daily basis. It must be hard reconciling Tirin's actions with the boy who lived in his closet.       

          He gently nudged his elbow against the other boy's arm, "Don't worry over it too much. Cold or not, it's too late to change what happened. Let's just be glad that Tirin's on our side."

          Yosuke remained quiet for a few more seconds. Then, he gave a slight nod, "Yeah . . ."

          Yu gave him an encouraging smile, hoping it was more convincing than he felt. Facing ahead, he caught sight of Tirin once more, as well as the hooded figure of the newly-met Nyras. Behind him, he could hear the tromping thud of Korval's boots. So many differences in just Tirin alone, and now they had two more faces to learn about. He could only wonder just what their differences could be.

(*)

          "Aaah!" Rise moaned, rubbing her feet, "I'm never walking again!"

          "I hear that . . ." Yosuke mumbled from where he sat, laying back across the rock.

          All his friends sat in another close circle, tired and hungry and greatly looking forward to sleep. The camp Nyras had spoken of was practical, with two sheer slabs of stone leaning against one another to form a sort of stony tent. Inside, it was fairly roomy with about fifteen feet of open space, but with so many people it soon felt cramped. The gap was narrow and easy to protect, and the hole in the roof provided good ventilation for the campfire Nyras had started. It's orange flames brought some much appreciated warmth, and they all sat huddled close to it.

          Korval sat by the entrance, meticulously cleaning his hammer with a rag while keeping an eye out for any unwanted guests in the cavern beyond. Tirin was busying himself with preparing some food, i.e bread and what looked like strips of jerky. Meanwhile, Nyras had returned from a short foray into the wilderness, taking a seat in the circle where she had been sitting for the last eight minutes mumbling words under her breath, eyes closed and hands pressed together. None had really spoken to them (and it wasn't as if the I.T were going out of their way to start a conversation), but that had not meant the short journey here hadn't been lively. It had become quite clear that Tirin, Nyras, and Korval were indeed friends, who's closeness was on par with their own. True, they hadn't spoken much, but the easy banter they shared when they did spoke volumes of their relationships.

          "What's she doing?" Rise finally asked.

          "It looks like she's meditating, but . . ." Yosuke said, looking perturbed.

          "This doesn't seem like any meditation I know," Naoto observed.

          "That's because it's not," Tirin said, looking up from what he was doing, "She's casting magic."

          Everyone turned to stare at him.

          "What?" was the universal question they all spoke in tandem.

          "I know it doesn't look very impressive, but that's the sort of magic this is," Tirin explained, "She's hiding our campsite from outsiders!"

          "S-seriously?" Yosuke asked, looking around anxiously.

          "Mhm," Tirin smiled, "In fact, you'll feel it right . . . now!"

          All of a sudden, a weight like a heavy blanket pressed down on them, the campfire flickering and sending shadows skittering across the walls. It just as soon lifted, and Nyras let loose a long breath before opening her eyes, "There. That should ward away any unpleasant surprises."

          Immediately, she was bombarded with questions;

          "How did you do that?" Rise and Yosuke.

          "W-was that really magic?" Chie.

          "Could you do it again?" Yukiko.

          "OI! Let her talk!" Korval's voice thundered over them all, silencing them.

          After a moment, Nyras nodded, "Thank you, Korval."

          "Never a problem," he replied with a smile.

          "In any case," Nyras continued, facing them, "Yes, that was magic. All rangers specialize in the craft. At least, to a rudimentary degree."

          "Wow, Nyras-chan, you're so cool!~" Teddie cooed, looking awestruck.

          Everyone was pretty awestruck, honestly.

          "Y-yeah . . . cool . . ." Kanji mumbled.

          "What sort of magic did you just cast?" Yu inquired, genuinely curious.

          "A simple spell designed to hide our campsite from unwanted eyes, including sight, sound and scent," the woman explained, pulling out a medical kit as she spoke, "It is far below the level of a true sorcerer, but it serves its purpose."

          "Even if that's all it does, that's still amazing!" Rise said.

          Chie nodded in enthusiastic agreement, "Yeah! You don't see anyone doing that back home!"

          "I'm glad you enjoyed it so much," Nyras said, looking genuinely pleased.

          "It . . . is certainly something," Naoto chipped in somewhat shyly, "In particular, the practical aspect of your magic."

          "I've always preferred expediency over ostentation," Nyras said, smiling, "I'd say its good to hear another say such, but considering who we are, I feel it might be somewhat pointless."

          That earned a small smile from Naoto, "Somewhat."

          Opening the medical kit, Nyras gestured to Naoto and Yu, "Now, let's see to those wounds."

          He watched as the woman pressed a warm wet cloth on Naoto's hand (he'd insisted she do her first), cleaning away the blood and possible dirt with smooth, deft swipes. Naoto's pain was only betrayed with a slight wince.

          "I know you were not in a position to do so earlier," Nyras said as she worked, "But should another situation arise where a fight seems inevitable, seek shelter. None of you are capable of defending yourselves right now."

          "Trust us, we know," Yosuke said.

          "Do you . . . really think another fight like that could happen again?" Yukiko asked.

          "Of course," Nyras replied, "Drow are but one facet of the evil that exists in this world. As such, conflict is unavoidable."

          Everyone's hearts sunk at this, the lighter atmosphere from before drying up.

          "If . . . we do get into another fight," Rise said softly, looking uncomfortable, "Will you . . . I mean, you won't kill them, right?"

          Nyras' looked at the girl, a contemplative gleam in her eyes. But when she spoke, her words were strangely gentle, "This world is a dangerous one, Rise. Many of the battles conducted here are invariably fights to the death. It is not that it is a preferred outcome, but oftentimes, it is the only option we are given."

          Rise's eyes-indeed, everyone's-became downcast at this, "But, wouldn't that make you a . . ."

          " . . . A murderer?" Nyras' only smiled in understandings when Rise's head shot back up, "Your reactions aren't surprising, and neither are your accusations. Unfortunately, I cannot give you reassurance that we will not use such methods if the need arises. It is simply a fact of this world. A sad fact, I grant you, but a fact nonetheless."

          "And so what if we do, anyway?" Korval spoke for the first time, lowering his hammer to look at them, "It ain't like the blood's gonna be on your hands."

          "Maybe . . . but it's still . . ." Yukiko trailed off, eyes falling to the ground.

          Yu let the silence sink, thinking hard about their current circumstances. Their . . . 'guardians', he supposed, had just openly admitted to being killers. Something he and his friends had been adamantly opposed too no matter how deserving someone might be. But deep down, he also realized that a world like this called for nothing less. And judging by everything they'd been saying, there was more than one sort of evil in this world. If that was what they were fighting, brutality must come second-nature, even if the thought made him uncomfortable. All the same, he wanted to believe their counterparts were good people.

          "What . . . other sorts of facets are there?" Yu eventually questioned. If this world was truly so dangerous, it would be good to know just what could kill them so they could at least be somewhat prepared.

          "Unfortunately, there are many," Nyras replied, applying Tirin's salve to Naoto's hand, "For example, those who embrace evil and commit crimes of various sorts are one. Demons would be another."

           "W-what?!" Yosuke started upright.

          "Did-did you just say 'demons'?!" Chie asked, snapping to attention as well.

          "Ah . . ." Nyras hummed after a long moment, "I see. Demons are not native to your world either, it seems."

          Yu thought something flickered in her eyes, but it was gone too quickly to tell what it was.

          "D-do you mean like, actual demons?" Kanji asked, "Like, the brimstone, drag-ya-ta-hell kind?"

          "Hell?" Nyras seemed confused, "Yes, demons are an integral part of our world, but they inhabit the Abyss. The Nine Hells are frequented by devils."

          Shocked silence met her statement. Demons? _Devils_? Yu truly felt stupid for thinking their situation couldn't get any worse.

          Yosuke groaned, sticking his hands into his hair and burying his face into his knees, "Are you serious? Man, we are _SO_ out of our league here!"

          "Would fire even hurt a demon?" Yukiko mused, frowning deeply and staring at her hands.

          "I don't think that's really the point right now, Yukiko," Chie moaned.

          "Th-this place is s-scary . . ." Teddie mumbled.

          A uneasy silence followed, as heavy as a dewy fog. Yu's mind was racing, trying to wrestle with any sort of possible reassurance he could give his friends, only to come up dry. In a world where demons apparently had free reign, and they were just helpless kids, there was not a lot he could say.

          A wet cloth suddenly pressed against his cheek, and he winced as warm water soaked into his wound, "If I might say something; it is true none of you are adequately prepared to face demons. Truthfully, most never are. But I do not think that has to be your permanent condition."

          Wringing the cloth out, she continued, "On the way here, I was watching you, and I can only say I was impressed with what I saw. You are newcomers to this world, where much of what is commonplace to us is extraordinary to you. As such, the level of maturity and strength you've approached your situation with is nothing short of astounding."

          Faces lifted a little at her compliment, spirits bolstered by the praise.

          ". . . Your words are kind," Naoto said, running a hand gently over her new bandages, "But unfortunately, that does not assuage our inexperience, or give us a means of returning home."

          "Ah, yes. Your predicament," Nyras said, applying the salve on Yu's cheek. He tried not to squirm too much, instead focusing on her voice, "Magic is not my area of expertise, but the fact you have somehow been wrested from your world against your will speaks of a much greater problem."

          "What sort of problem?" Yu asked.

          "Unfortunately, I do not know," Nyras sighed, applying the last touches to his cheek before stowing the medical kit away, "It could be that a group of mages acted as a catalyst for some obscenely powerful spell. Or, it could have even been a simple natural phenomenon, albeit of great scale. But we know too little to form a true theory, and that troubles me greatly."

          "Tch," Korval tsked, raking his rag over the hammer's blunt edge, "If it ain't one thing, it's somethin' else."

          "It's a troublesome truth, to be sure . . ." Nyras agreed softly. Sitting straight, she spoke a little more strongly, "But regardless, until we know more, we will do what we can to see you home."

          Yu's lips twitched up at that, heartened despite the looming cloud hanging over them, "Thank you."

          " . . . Yeah," Kanji said, a small smile on his face, "S'good to know we got people like you watchin' our backs," he suddenly seemed to remember who he was talking to when Nyras glanced at him, and he averted his gaze, "I-I mean . . . ya know . . ."

          "Course we'd help!" Korval said brusquely, "You guys are just like a box of lost puppies! How could we say no?"

          "Again with the puppies . . ." Yosuke grumbled in annoyance.

          Yu nodded, "Yes, I'd still prefer to be a kitten."

          "Does preference matter? This is just a metaphorical statement," Naoto added, looking a little put off.

          Yu shot her a look, "Yes. Yes it does."

          Nobody got a chance to reply, for suddenly Tirin was sweeping in from the sidelines, bundles of food in hand and a chastising frown on his face, "Oh, so its all buddy-buddy with Nyras and Korval, but for me its just suspicion! Hmph, fine, I see how it is!"

          "Well, we did meet you first, and we didn't know what was going on then," Yosuke pointed out.

          Tirin pointedly turned his back on him, tossing a bundle over his shoulder that landed squarely in Yosuke's lap. Tirin handed the rest out as well, and when Yu received his, he quickly undid the knot to see what was inside.

          The same slice of bread from that morning, he saw that immediately, but beside it was a new item he hadn't seen before. Three long strips of dark, dried meat, the leathery body exuding a scent of dried spices that made his mouth water.

          "MEAT!" Chie shouted in delight, tearing into the strips enthusiastically. Yosuke gave her a grossed out look before pointedly looking away.

          "What is this stuff? Jerky?" Kanji asked.

          "Essentially," Nyras said, neatly tearing a strip off with her teeth.

          Yu stuck one his mouth, savoring the cured flavor as he tore a chunk away. It was definitely just like dried jerky, tough and chewy, although it was a bit lacking in terms of extreme flavors like the ones back home.

          A sudden scuffle by the entrance and Tirin's snappish shout made him look up.

          "Hey, no fair!"

          Korval had grabbed the gloaming by the arm, fingers like steeled vices as he growled, "I ain't lettin' go until I get my kit back."

          Tirin stuck his tongue out, "Boo! You're no fun! And it's not like its my fault you lost it!"

          Korval's only response was a steely glare, and Tirin finally relented with an overdramatic sigh, "Fine, you win this time, now let me go!"  

          "Kit first."

          Tirin sighed again, but yielded and dug his free hand into his bag. When he withdrew it, a neatly rolled beige cloth was in his hand, one that looked like it was carrying stuff within it. Korval snatched it up in an instant and finally released Tirin's arm, who drew back and rolled his eyes before trotting back to his place near the back of the cave. Korval examined it closely, undoing the two straps that held it together and rolling it open to peruse what was inside. It was held at just enough of an angle that Yu couldn't see what was within.

          "I didn't take anything!" Tirin called, chewing on a mouthful of bread.

          Korval scoffed, "Yeah, I'll believe you the day you stop lifting people's pockets."

          "Now that was just uncalled for," Tirin sniffed defensively.

          _Click._

          Yu looked to his left to see that Nyras had drawn out her crossbow and was casually fiddling with the arms, but there was something vaguely threatening in the display that made him involuntarily swallow. Korval and Tirin seemed to pick up on this as well, for they both stopped heckling each other and quickly went back to eating. After Korval had put away his 'kit', of course.

          "Korval and I will take watch tonight," Nyras said, having finished her food quickly, "I suggest you get some rest."

          She moved away from them to take up a position nest to Korval, crossbow still out and ready. The fires had grown dimmer by now, the darkness pressing in along with the tiredness from earlier. Still, for all his exhaustion, he didn't fancy sleeping on rocks again.

          "Yay, more rocks," Rise cheered without any enthusiasm.

          "Just bear with it for now," Naoto told her, "Nyras-san informed us we were close to the surface and would be reaching it tomorrow."

          "Well, that's one good thing," Yosuke grumbled.

          "Things will be brighter tomorrow," Yu said, "Literally."

          "I'm looking forward to that," Chie said with a laugh.

            They spread out after they finished their meal, trying to find comfortable spots to no avail. As he twisted and turned on the stone, he thought about what tomorrow would bring. A return to the surface, he hoped. He never wanted to see another tunnel again for as long as he lived.

          As sleep pressed in, he found that his dreams were filled with fresh air and sunlight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some translations for you lovelies!
> 
> Cretok-ssuu - Orc-breath
> 
> Lieling - darling


	8. Harmless Little Secrets

          Yu woke with a start, blinking in confusion as darkness pressed in on his vision, the embers of the fire having died long ago. He didn't know what had startled him so, but his pounding heart was an assurance that he wasn't going back to sleep anytime soon. He felt a sharp flicker of irritation for his ruined slumber, the aching protests of his sore muscles doing little to lessen the annoyance.

          Rolling onto his side, he became aware of a weak orange glow just outside the entrance, as well as a pair of voices speaking quietly to one another. He sat up, now quite awake and curious as to what was going on. The flickering orange light was the only source available, and even then it only faintly lit up the gap. Everything else was wrapped in total darkness, so dense he couldn't even see his own body.

          _What's that?_ he wondered. He didn't see Nyras or Korval, so it might be that they had taken their vigil outside and were . . . doing something. He wasn't sure what. The quiet voices weren't threatening, either. In fact, they only peaked his curiosity.

          All around him he could hear the soft, even breathing of his friends, and he realized he was the only one who was up. He'd have to be quiet to avoid disturbing their rest. With that thought in mind, he slowly felt his way forward, maneuvering as carefully and quietly as he could until he was just before the entrance.

          That was when something shifted slightly within the crux of light and shadow, and Yu snapped his attention to it immediately, heart leaping into his throat. Then he relaxed as he made out of pair of white eyes watching him carefully.

          Xirskam.

          He found it a little unsettling that the Shade had been watching them all while they had slept, like some sort of creepy sentient guard dog. Did shades even need to sleep themselves? Somehow, he doubted it.

          But it . . . he was on their side, he knew that very well now. After all, the shade was the one who'd saved them from falling over the edge yesterday. It had been a little weird, being manhandled like a small child, but it was far better than being dead.

          . . . perhaps Yu should . . . let him know that?

          Swallowing, he gave it a small nod and hoped he understood him, "Um . . . thank you. For yesterday, I mean."

          The shade only stared at him, remaining silent, and Yu sighed. Maybe Tirin really was the only one who could communicate with him.

          Then a slight weight was suddenly on his head, disappearing and reappearing in a repetitious movement that struck Yu momentarily dumb. Did he . . . did the shade just pat his head?

          Yeah, it seemed so, because a great clawed hand suddenly pulled away, disappearing back into the darkness. All of it done without a single sound uttered by Xirskam, who now simply sat and watched.

          Blinking and slightly shaking his head in disbelief (thank god those claws hadn't nicked him on accident), he turned away and moved closer to the gap. Peeking out, he found the source of the glow instantly.

          Nyras and Korval were both there, no surprise, positioned along the stone wall a mere five feet from the entrance. A small lantern had been set out just above a large map that lay spread over the floor, the furled tips held apart by two small stones. Nyras was sitting cross-legged before it, tapping a knuckle against her chin while her other arm lay crossed over her chest, eyes roving over the inked print with intense focus. Korval kneeled beside her, a large, now bare hand placed firmly against her opposite shoulder, a touch Nyras didn't seem to mind in the least. Strange . . .

          Grunting softly, Korval pressed a finger against the map, speaking in a low voice. Luckily, Yu was close enough now that he could make out what he was saying, "I say we go to Sedgeridge first. They got a lot of shops and an inn that ain't too bad. Not to mention a few runners that can start sending out messages."

          "Fair points, but runners would be chancy at best," Nyras replied just as quietly, "The others need to know of this as soon as possible. As such, I recommend Bailsborough. There's a wizard I know there who is skilled in divination magic. He could get the word out far more quickly than ordinary messengers."

          "But Bailsborough's twenty extra miles, and these kids are already dead on their feet," Korval put in, looking at his smaller companion, "They ain't like us, Nyras, ya know that. Sides, Sedgeridge is on the way to Bailsborough. See? We can make it there the next day, and bonus, everyone's rested and outfitted with gear that didn't come off the ass-end of a cow."

          Nyras lowered her hand and closed her eyes in thought. Yu listened intently. Sedgeridge? Bailsborough? All unknown to him, but it seemed he would come to find out more about them in the days to come. And these 'others' they were talking about . . . he was willing to bet money on who they were.

          Yu shifted a little closer as Nyras opened her eyes, a small smile coming to her face, "Of course, we do have to remember that their stamina is not nearly so refined. Very well, we'll stop by Sedgeridge first," she looked at her grinning companion, "Still, we would do well to press for speed. _No_ detours. It is imperative that we convey what has happened here to the others as soon as possible."

          "Deal," Korval said, sticking out a hand.

          With a smile, Nyras accepted it, the fond glimmer in her eyes sparkling in the lantern light, "You always did have a soft spot for children."

          "Ah, don't give me that," Korval said, gently squeezing her shoulder, "You're bein' soft on 'em too. If it'd been the rest of us, you would have kept us goin' till we reached the surface."

          _This is getting weirdly intimate . . ._ Yu thought.

          "I'll make no protests against that statement," Nyras whispered, voice dropping to a oddly gentle timber.

          A husky growl emanated from the back of Korval's throat, the half-orc leaning in a little closer, "Oh yeah? What else won't you protest against right now?"

          What . . . was . . .

          "Hm . . ." Nyras hummed, leaning up herself, "I wouldn't protest to this."

          And she closed the distance completely and pressed her lips to Korval's.

          Yu's mind exploded. Flinging himself back into the gap, he pressed his back against the wall, head reeling, _D-did that really happen? Did that really just happen?!_

          Jaw having dropped to the center of the earth by now, Yu smacked his knuckles against his head in an effort to punch his thoughts into order, _O-okay, maybe I just suffered a bout of insanity and hallucinated the whole thing._

He looked again, saw the same thing, and fell back, _Holy crap, no, this is really happening!_

          "They're cute together, huh?"

          The back of Yu's head struck the stone behind him as he jolted, and he was pretty sure his heart was trying it's hardest to strangle him. He rubbed at the aching spot and gave a hard glare at Tirin, who only leaned back and grinned. Holding his hands up and twiddling his fingers, he whispered happily, "Surprise!"

          Just then, a shadow blotted the entryway, and with an ominous sense of dread, Yu turned his head. Korval was staring back at him, arms crossed and looking only mildly annoyed. Thankfully. _So_ thankfully.

          Still grinning, Tirin waved at the orc, "Morning!"

          Korval sighed, then gestured for Yu to stand, "C'mon, we might as well talk."

          Swallowing nervously, Yu did as he was told.

          He soon found himself seated across from duo, the map, the lantern, and an ocean of awkwardness between them. Yu hung his head, feeling slightly ashamed. True, he hadn't actually known the nature of their relationship, but he'd still been caught eavesdropping. If Dojima were here, he'd have his hide.

          Tirin sat between them, idly humming something under his breath and watching with great interest.

          "Before you say anything," Yu said, clapping his hands together, "I humbly request a chance to write my will."

          Korval rolled his eyes, "Kid, ya ain't gonna die."

          Nyras spoke next, sounding calm despite her curiously red cheeks, "We are not angry with you, Yu. While you may have eavesdropped, it wasn't as if what we were speaking of were personal affairs."

          Yu's shoulders drooped in relief.

          "And . . . as for our relationship," Nyras started awkwardly, the blush intensifying, "It wasn't as if we were trying to keep it a secret from you. We just believed there would have been a better place for such a revelation. You already had much on your minds."

          Korval rubbed the back of his head, "Still, guess the cat's outta the bag now, huh?"

          Yu self-consciously rubbed at his wrist, thinking. This had been a pretty big shock, no question, and he honestly had no idea how he would deliver this news to the others without breaking someone's mind. Naoto's and Kanji's, especially.

          It . . . would be kinda bad if this was dropped on everyone now. Vey slowly, as if the words were forming as he spoke, he said, "Maybe . . . we don't have to tell them."

          Nyras' ears perked up, interested, "And why do you say that?"

          "You're right, now would be a bad time to drop a bombshell like this," Yu explained, acutely aware of everyone's eyes on him. Belatedly, he realized 'bombshell' might not be a word they'd know, "If . . . well, what I mean is, I'll keep quiet about it, if that is what you want."

          "And you are not opposed to keeping secrets from your friends?" Nyras pressed.

          Yu sighed, "I'm the leader. Right now, when everything's as chaotic and uncertain as it is, I have to think of how best to keep everyone from losing their heads. Besides, its not like this is a harmful thing I'm keeping from them. It's just . . . a bit brain-breaking."

          Korval sat up at this, "What's that supposed to mean?"

          Yu waved his hands frantically, "N-nothing bad, I promise! It's just, well, you have to have noticed that Kanji and Naoto aren't . . . well, they're not-"

          Nyras held up a hand, and Yu closed his mouth, "Yes, we've noticed. Kanji can't maintain eye-contact and Naoto is oblivious to his attempts at conversation," she tilted her head to Korval, a wistful smile on her face, "It doesn't seem that long ago when we were much the same."

          She rested her hand atop his, and Korval shifted until he was holding it in his palm, "Yeah, I remember I couldn't even get a word out to ya without soundin' like a total idiot. How you ever noticed a guy like me is somethin' I'll never figure out."

          "Now, the joke there is, she _didn't_ ," Tirin chimed in teasingly, pretending he was explaining it to Yu.

          "Ah, shut up," Korval snapped.

          Nyras quietly placed her other hand on his arm, the air of calm bringing the half-orc down from his anger, "Hush, _lieling_. The others are still asleep."

          "Oh, yeah . . . sorry."

          Lips curling with amusement, she lifted a hand to his cheek and pushed until he looked at her, "You let Tirin's jests get under your skin far too much. You should know better than to fall for them by now."

          The orc averted eyes, embarrassed, "Yeah, well, its been a while since we last saw each other. I kinda lost my touch."

          "And I'll take full advantage of that," Tirin crowed softly.

          "You may hush as well, or otherwise see yourself to another cave," Nyras said, eyes hardening. Tirin defensively held up his hands, but remained quiet.

          Yu shifted slightly where he sat, mildly uncomfortable with what was going on. Not that he wasn't happy for them (at least, as happy as he could be for basically strangers), but it was . . . utterly bizarre to watch when not ten feet away slept two friends who looked exactly like them. Two friends who may actually have feelings for eachother, but one couldn't speak his mind straight and the other was kind of oblivious to him. It must be a detective thing . . .

          Nyras noticed his discomfort quickly, dropping her hand, "Ah, we apologize. This must be a little odd for you."

          "No, no that's not it," Yu interjected, "I mean, this is normal for you. It's just . . ."

          "You do not have to say anymore," Nyras said, "Until the time comes where you are all more acclimated to our world, we shall keep this between ourselves."

          Yu nodded, "Alright."

          He hoped he could keep that up without getting too awkward around Kanji and Naoto.

          A stretch of silence fell between them, neither side not really knowing what to say anymore, until Yu finally decided to try for some light conversation, "So, um . . . how long have the two of you been together?"

          Nyras fiddled with the end of her ponytail, looking a little embarrassed, "Some time, it feels like. Although it can't have been more than a year."

          "Hey, we got lots of time now," Korval said, "At least, that's what Rhys said at our wedding."

          Yu somehow managed to choke on his spit.

          Nyras looked at him, face etched with mild concern, "Are you alright?"

          "You're married . . ." he mumbled. Okay, so maybe it wasn't that much of a stretch, but he hadn't actually _made_ the assumption that the two were married. Just . . . together.

          "Yeah . . . ?" Korval said, looking confused, "That's what most people do?"

          Yu just gave him a blank stare.

          "Hey, what's going on out here?"

          Yu jumped in spite of himself, turning to stare at Yosuke, who was peeking out from the gap. He noticed Nyras subtly move her hand away from Korval's, which the orc looked less than pleased about.

           "U-uh, nothing, Yosuke," Yu said, trying to regain his composure (which this night had done quite a number on), "Just . . . talking."

          "Uh, okay?" the brunette replied. Thankfully, it seemed he was still too tired to press for anymore answers than that, stepping out into the cavern with a yawn, "Are we getting ready to leave, or something?"

          "Actually, the two of you have woken at a rather convenient time," Nyras said, standing upright, "Now if you could wake the others up, we can reach the surface in only an hour."

          Yosuke's eyes lit up at this, "Alright, finally!"

          He scrambled back inside, only to scramble back out a second later looking sheepish, "Uh, Partner, think you could help me with Chie? She'd listen to you a lot better than she'd listen to me."

          "Uh, yeah, I can," Yu replied somewhat dazedly. Yosuke gave him a funny look, but commented no further on it as he went back inside.

          Yu sighed. It really felt like he'd bitten off more than he could chew with this . . .

          Tirin's cheeky call of 'good luck' really did not help.

(*)

          Breakfast went by fairly painlessly, which Yu would be eternally grateful for. Conversation was minimal as everyone focused on eating, and there was still that wall not really knowing what to talk about. Good on their word, Korval and Nyras maintained a facade of friendliness that aroused no real suspicion. Still, every small touch and soft word took on quite a different meaning for Yu now, and he struggled to keep from glancing at Kanji and Naoto every time it happened. The only real problem was Tirin, who kept smiling knowingly at him every time Yu so much as glanced in his direction. He liked to fancy himself a fairly collected person, but it really began to grate on his nerves after a time.

          But soon, they were on the move again. Sedgeridge was the name of their destination, a small lakeside town that had shops and other useful commodities they'd been lacking. But more than that, the promise of fresh air and sunshine was what really energized his friends, their pace noticeably faster and more keen despite sore muscles and aching feet.

          Yu hung around in the back, close to where Korval was keeping watch. From there, he could observe the group with ease and avoid an awkward confrontations. He was pretty sure Naoto had noticed his slightly odd behavior and wanted to avoid being grilled.

          Thankfully, she seemed more interested in other topics, as she eventually asked Nyras, "So will we be meeting your companions at Sedgeridge?"

          Everyone's ears perked up in interest.

          "Most likely not," Nyras replied, "Korval and I have been in the Underdark for some weeks now and haven't had proper contact with the surface in that time. We have general ideas where the others might be located, but no precise details. If we did meet someone at Sedgeridge, it will be just as much of a surprise for us as it will be for you."

          "Okay, I gotta ask," Yosuke said, "You know our counterparts, right? Think you could tell us more about them?"

          "Yeah!" Chie shouted, jumping on the wagon, "The other me, she's a badass right? I mean, not that you guys aren't pretty badass, but, you know? I wanna know!"

          "Come on, spill!" Rise added, smiling.

          Nyras' lips twitched in amusement, "Hm, that depends on what it is you want to know."

          "Ny-ras!" Tirin whined, pouting, "Surprises!"

          " _Grak_ , who cares?!" Korval demanded, and Yu could swear the red eyes of his helmet glowed just a bit brighter.

          "Well, it would be kind of fun, wouldn't it?"

          Everyone looked at Yukiko, who shrunk a little under the curious stares, "Um, I mean, not that its for everyone, but . . ." she continued on a little more confidently, "We already know we're going to meet them, right? I think it would be sort of fun to be surprised! Its sort of like a present; you know you're getting a gift, you just don't know what it is until you open it."

          "Well, when you put it like that . . ." Chie mused.

          "Still, I think some hints would be nice," Yosuke's voice fell to a whisper Yu barely caught, "Just so I don't have to be too disappointed . . ."

          "That would be fun, I'll admit," Rise acquiesced, looking thoughtful.

          "If that is your choice, we can keep silent on the issue," Nyras said with an obliging tilt of her head.

          Tirin pumped his arm in, whispering, "Yes!"

          Korval sighed.

          A few more paces were walked in silence. Then, Naoto spoke out again, "If it is alright to ask, Nyras-san, I am a little curious over something."

          The elder glanced her way, looking intrigued, "Carry on."

          "Last night, you mentioned you were a ranger," Naoto continued, "I'd like to know a little more about that, if it is information you can share."

          "Of course," Nyras said, giving Naoto an approving look, "It is important we cover this subject anyway, so I am glad you brought it up."

          "There are many professions that exist in this world. It is the same for adventurers," Nyras continued, "A ranger, like myself, is one such profession. Tracking elusive prey, exploration of unknown lands, and mastery of specialized weapons are my personal fields of experience."

          "So you're like a hunter," Rise said.

          "That is certainly a ranger's forte. Usually, our skills are centered around specific creatures and environments, but as it is prudent to have an expansive knowledge of all types, a ranger is therefore very versatile when it comes to battle," Nyras said.

          "You know, that actually sounds a lot like what Naoto does," Yukiko chimed in.

          "I will take that as a compliment, Yukiko-san, but our fields of expertise aren't that closely aligned," Naoto said.

          "No, she's right actually!" Rise interjected, "Think about it; you hunt bad guys all the time using environmental clues, you're good at tracking things, you're really, _really_ smart, and you're versatile! Sure the names are different, but what you do isn't."

          "Hm. Are you a ranger of sorts in your world?" Nyras asked, looking keenly at Naoto.

          "Well . . . I suppose in a way. I am a detective. It is my job to solve crimes and capture suspects," Naoto explained, looking a little shy, "To put it simply. Also, its not nearly so fantastical as your occupation is, I'm sure."

          "Maybe all the stuff about magic and demons, but protectin' people from dirtbags ain't exactly borin'," Korval cut in from the back, "You puttin' your talents where they work best is pretty fantastic in its own way, is what I say."

          "Y . . . yeah! W-what he said!" Kanji put in, cheeks going a little red.

          "Ah . . ." a flush of red warmed Naoto's cheeks, and she self-consciously pulled her hat a little lower.

          Yu gnawed at his bottom lip. They were right, Naoto was fantastic and he'd always be proud of her for her accomplishments, but knowing what he knew had made this exchange way more subliminal than he was comfortable with.

          Especially when Rise cooed, "Aw, that's so sweet of you to say about our Naoto-kun!"

          Chie playfully nudged Kanji in the ribs, "Hey, why don't you add a little somethin' to that, Kanji-kun?"

          That's right, a lot of his friends 'shipped' the two together behind their backs. That was gonna make this harder.

           . . . And maybe he'd been one of those shippers, but it was different (read: weird) when in one place the relationship had happened and in another it . . . hadn't. And you were stuck keeping that fact a secret lest all hell break loose.

          Kanji flushed, "S-shut up! I-I don't have to say nothin'!"

          Behind him, he heard Korval chuckle under his breath.

          "Tch, Kanji, I'm disappointed in you!" Teddie admonished, "For a lovely girl like Nao-chan, you should be singing her praises!"

          "I'll break you, Ted," Kanji warned.

          Yu quickly stepped in before things took a violent turn, "So, what about the rest of you? What, um, professions did you take?"

          "Ain't much to talk about," Korval answered, "I'm a barbarian. S'pretty much all I need to say."

          "Whoa, a barbarian?" Chie asked, looking greatly intrigued, "Like the Hulk?"

          "I don't think the Hulk was a barbarian, Chie . . ." Yosuke said.

          "What's a 'Hulk?" Teddie asked, "Is that like a bear?"

          Yosuke sighed.

           "You're making Korval angry. You wouldn't like him when he's angry," Yukiko chanted ominously.

          "Huh? I ain't angry right now," Korval said, frowning in puzzlement, "But, yeah, I guess that's the easiest way a puttin' what I do into words."

          "So you literally get angry, and it helps you in a fight," Yosuke stated, looking a little disbelieving.

          "Basically. The point a bein' a barbarian is that I can use anger to give me a boost. I can fight better, move quicker, even heal faster if I need it," Korval said, "Also, it scares the fuck outta people, which is great."

          Yu remembered quite well the rage that had suffused Korval's entire being in the last battle they'd been in, and nodded, "That makes a lot of sense, yes."

          A mischievous spark flashed in Yosuke's eyes as he glanced at Kanji, smirking, "Hey Kanji, kinda sounds like you too, doesn't it?"

          The other boy growled at him, "And just what the hell is that supposed to mean, Yosuke-senpai?"

          "Well, ya know, getting angry tends to be your default," Yosuke supplied rather foolishly, "And, not to be mean about it, but you used to scare the fuck out of us too."

          Kanji's eyes flashed, and Yu genuinely worried that if Yosuke didn't shut up, he'd be seeing stars real soon.

          Thankfully, Nyras' calm voice intervened, "Anger on its own is not intrinsically good or evil, for it is just an emotion. Rather, it is what one does with that anger that decides morality. Barbarians who use their rage to harm and cause chaos are undoubtedly evil, just like barbarians who use their power to protect and endure, like Korval, are seen as good. And another thing . . ." she glanced at Kanji, "Anger is not the only thing that makes up a barbarian. It is also courage, loyalty, and steadfastness, as well as a will that cannot be broken. Therefore, if it is true that you carry the rage of a barbarian in your heart, I am willing to believe that you carry these other qualities alongside it."

          "U-uh . . ." Kanji stuttered, red-faced but no longer from anger. Looking down, he awkwardly rubbed the back of his head and mumbled, "T-thanks . . ."

          " . . . I can attest that such qualities are indeed ones Kanji owns," Naoto put in quietly, "We have all seen it, have we not?"

          "U-UH . . . !" Kanji floundered.

          Rise was beaming, "Aw, of course we know that, but its so nice of you to point it out, Naoto-kun!"

          "I-it is simply the truth," Naoto said, a little defensively.

          Yu noticed Nyras smile in amusement, and he shook his head. If Korval and Nyras had been anything like this, he really had to wonder how and when they had finally noticed each other in _that_ way. And if Kanji and Naoto would do the same.

          . . . maybe he should cut that out. The tension the aforementioned pair were exuding was more than enough.

          "And what about you?" he heard Yosuke ask, looking at Tirin, "What are you supposed to be?"

          "Ah, you can't just ask someone what they are, Yosuke, it's very impolite," Tirin admonished teasingly.

          Yosuke narrowed his eyes, and Tirin chuckled, "Hehe, I'm just kidding! Anyway, I'm a rogue!"

          "Isn't that like a thief?" Yukiko asked.

          "Oh no, so much more than that! Rogues are people who live by their wits, luck and prowess. They can be diplomats, manipulators, thrill seekers, all sorts of things! Me, I'm good at being seen only when I want to be seen, and hitting people where it really hurts," Tirin gave Yukiko a sultry wink, "And I'm good at charming people, wouldn't you say?"

          "Um . . ."

          "But!" Tirin continued, holding up a finger, "That's not all! I've also trained as a shadowdancer!"

          "A what dancer?" Chie asked.

          "A shadowdancer is similar to a rogue," Nyras informed, "But they rely much more heavily on the darkness to give them an edge in combat. The most highly skilled can bend shadows to their will and give it form and substance. Most never see a shadowdancer coming until its too late."

          Yu remembered how easily Tirin could slip into the shadows, seeming to meld with its very form like he were darkness itself, "Yes, that makes sense as well."

          "So, does that mean you can, like, control shadows?" Kanji asked.

          "Sort of," Tirin replied, "It's a lot easier for me because I'm a gloaming. One foot in that world, or something like that."

          "Were the wings a shadowdancer trick, then?" Yosuke asked.

          "Nope, that's a gloaming trait!" Tirin replied with a smile, "All gloamings have wings!"

          He heard Teddie huff under his breath, "I bet he doesn't have fur . . ."

          Tirin, unfortunately, had heard, the gloaming smirking and leaning towards the bear with a hand cupped around his ear, "Hm? What was that? Speak up, I'd love to hear the jealously clearly!"

          "I'm not jealous!" Teddie defended, spastically waving his arms around, "How could I be jealous! Of all the nerve to imply that I, Teddie, would be jealous is absurd!"

          "He is totally jealous," Chie whispered.

          "Don't tell him that," Rise responded.

          Yukiko giggled.

          Just then, Yosuke's arm shot out to Yu, waving it front of him to get his attention as he pointed ahead with the other, "D-dude, do you see that?"

          Puzzled, Yu stared at where Yosuke was pointing. At first, all he saw was the same dark tunnel. But then, like the clearing of a fog-covered window, Yu's eyes focused on a small, bright _something_ near the very end. It was only the size of a pinhead, but that glow could not be mistaken.

          It was _light_.

          "Is that-?!" Chie started.

          "It is," Nyras told them.

          On a single, surging cue, they all broke into a run. Even when their legs began to burn and their breaths came in pants, the light coming ever closer only spurred them on.

          And then it was upon them, and they were running through the hole and into the space beyond.

          Another large cavern, but this one was vastly different. Fifty feet wide and fifty feet deep, the stony ground remained flat for only about twenty of it before rising in a horizontal slant, a long, semi-flat path zigzagging up the hill, bordered by rising tufts of stone. The roof soared overhead, slowly narrowing down to a truncated point so it seemed like a gigantic cone had been placed above their heads, the jagged walls lined with clefts and narrow rifts. A large crack running down the side all the way to the ground before them, growing wider as it reached the bottom. The largest gap was at the opposite end of the path, placed squarely in front of it like a door before a carpet.

          But the greatest difference of all was the sunlight streaming in through the fissure, painting the walls and ground with slanted bars of gold. Warmth radiated from the opening, fresh air wafting through and stirring their hair and clothes with a gentle, comforting breeze.

          Yu's eyes watered, having become accustomed to the darkness of the underground, but he could not tear his gaze away. The days below had felt far longer than just days, and the light he saw now brought him a relief so great he felt lighter than air. His friends faces were filled with pure delight and happiness, feelings so strong they seemed to shine brighter than the sun.

          "W-we're finally here!" Chie shouted, overjoyed.

          "Fresh air! It smells wonderful!" Rise said, the tears in her eyes not all from the light.

          "Oh man, it feels like its been ages!" Kanji said, grinning ear to ear.

          "Come on, let's go up there!" Teddie squealed, already eagerly moving forward.

          Everyone followed his lead, scrambling up the rocky path as fast as their feet were able. The rock slowly changed to crunchy grit, their frantic pace sending showers of tiny pebbles falling back to the cavern below.

          When at last, at _last_ , they crossed the threshold, Yu had to momentarily cover his eyes as the light dug into his eyes, blinding him. But he adjusted quickly, and when he could finally move his hand away, his breath caught in his throat.

          They'd emerged from a crack between two great stones that lay pressed against one another, the underground entrance situated on a plateau of rock that crowned the top of a small hill. One side fell into a sheer drop, where water consciously crashed into the hollowed wall below. On his right, a glimmering lake, far bigger than any lake he'd ever seen, stretched out before him, the sunlight striking the lapping waves and making the water sparkle. Miles out, he could see some sort of behemoth monument jutting out of the water, the gray stone slick with water, the carvings wrought into its form impossible to make out. The opposite shore was only a thin, dark sliver against the horizon, nearly invisible against the waves. To the east, he thought he saw something glimmer, something large and overlooking the entire lake, but it was too far away to tell what it was. On his left were rolling, verdant hills of grass and flowers, copses of trees interspersed amongst the rising and falling landscapes. A flock of birds flew overhead, twittering merrily and landing in a gnarled oak that grew between the cracks on the stone plateau to their immediate left, its leaves bountiful, its wooded trunk sturdy and thick. Life bloomed all around him, and he felt he could break into dance at any moment.

          Just then, something large out over the water caught his eye.

          There, in the sky and flying fast from the west, came a great creature, whose size was so vast its shadow fell over the water like a great, stormy cloud. The sun streamed over it's scaled body, the light refracting apart and making the creature glitter like a giant topaz. It's neck was long and crowned by a frill that ran all the way down to its back, while enormous wings were spread out in the air horizontally from the rest of it's body, the sail-like protrusions growing more narrow as it reached the tip of it's long, sinuous tail. It slithered through the like some kind of great snake, riding the currents like a kite, until it reached the behemoth stone and proceeded to land. Four taloned claws gripped the stone, wings sweeping forward to steady itself, tail winding around the cylindrical body as it lifted it's great head to survey the lake.

          _No . . . way . . ._ he thought, staring in awe. There was only one thing that creature was. There was _only_ onename that fit it.

          "A d- . . . a d- . . ." Chie couldn't get the words out.

          "Holy shit . . ." Yosuke mumbled piteously, unable to look away.

          Everyone else was struck speechless, unable to communicate their thoughts at all.

          The dragon's head twitched, then swiveled their way, and Yu felt himself freeze to the spot.

          It had seen them. It was _watching_ them. He knew that beyond a shadow of a doubt.

          But it seemed to find nothing of interest, for then it flexed it's great wings and leapt from it's perch. Snapping it's wings down and up, down and up, it quickly rose into the air and carried on down the lake, traveling east.

          Yu released the breath he didn't know he had been holding, watching the great beast fly away. Someone stepped beside him, but he was too captivated to bother seeing who it was.

          His question was answered regardless when Nyras spoke;

          "Welcome to Endrivan."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I'm binging. Yeah, I'm totally binging.  
> Also, are we getting a little more romance-y up in here, or is it just me? :P  
> Seriously though, I'd appreciate a little feedback on that, because it's my first attempt writing lovey-dovey stuff. Please and thank you!
> 
> A translation for you dears:
> 
> Grak - Fuck


	9. The Journey Ahead

          "Endrivan . . ." Yu breathed, still staring after the dragon as it flew away.

          "D-d-d-did you see that?!" Chie demanded, pointing after the great beast, "Did you see it?!"

          Nyras calmly nodded, amusement flickering in her eyes, "Yes, I did."

          "Y-you're taking this way too calmly!" Yosuke accused her, throwing his arm out in the dragon's general direction, "A fucking _dragon_ just flew by, and you're acting like it's no big deal!"

          "Are . . . are they all that big?" Yukiko wondered, looking slightly afraid. Yu agreed with her sentiment. He did not want to be meeting dragons anytime soon if they were that enormous. Maybe it was just better not meeting any dragons, period.

          "Some dragons are," Nyras explained, completely and disturbingly unruffled (which was quite unfair, in Yu's opinion), "But it takes many centuries to reach such a size, and since much of their lives is fraught with territorial disputes and battles, few do. The one you just saw has made this lake and the land surrounding it her warren, and has ruled it successfully for many decades. As such, she has grown to quite the enormous size."

          "Her? So it's a . . . girl dragon?" Kanji questioned, looking puzzled.

          "How would you even know something like that?" Rise wondered, looking skeptical, "You can't just go up to it and find out . . . can you?"

          "As a matter of fact, you can," Nyras said, "Dragons are not stupid animals. They are highly intelligent, and are more than capable of holding a conversation if they so desire."

          "Wait, dragons can _talk?_ " Yosuke shouted in disbelief.

          Nyras nodded, "Yes, they can."

          Yu finally turned his head to stare at the woman, the dragon having vanished and finding his mind plagued by curiosity, "Have you talked to her?"

          "On occasion," Nyras replied, "We-"

           If she was going to say anything else, it was drowned out by his friends amazed exclamations.

          "Seriously?!" Chie.

          "Wow!" Teddie.

          " _You_ talked to a _dragon?_ " Yosuke.

          "How did you even do that without getting eaten?!" Yukiko.

          "Please, calm down!" Nyras said, waving for silence. When at last it came, she carried on, "Yes, we have spoken to this particular dragon on more than one occasion, but I can assure you it was far from unpleasant. Tiruviel is a Metallic dragon, all of which share a core creed of goodness and compassion. It is why I did not tell you to hide when she appeared, for whether she saw you or not, you were in no danger. The Chromatic variant, on the other hand . . ."

          She broke off as a commotion drew her attention back to the Underdark entrance, a pair of arguing voices floating through the gap.

          "Put me down! _Put me down!_ " Tirin, voice pitched high and sounding a little desperate.

          "Quit whinin'! If you weren't such a baby about the sun, I wouldn't have to drag you out here, would I?" Korval, sounding aggravated and annoyed.

          The two appeared through the crevice, and Yu had to blink at the odd sight that greeted them. Tirin was tucked under one of Korval's arms, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else, while Korval didn't even seem to notice the extra weight at all and hauled him along as if he were carrying a pillow. Once they emerged into the sun, Tirin whimpered and wrapped his arms around his head, "Aaaah, I forgot how _bright it was up here!_ "

          "Ah, there you are," Nyras said, not even batting an eye, "I was beginning to fear Tirin had slipped away from you."

          "He almost did," Korval responded easily, "And then he tried to sic Xirskam on me, the shit."

          Tirin was grousing unintelligibly under his breath, possibly a string of curses that were muffled beneath his arms. He hadn't looked up even once, and Yu began to wonder if something was wrong.

          "Um . . ." Chie trailed off.

          "Is he . . . what's happening here?" Yosuke asked, looking torn between confusion and amusement.

           "Something normal, by the sound of things," Yu guessed, staring.

          "Ah, pardon the display," Nyras said, turning away from Korval, "Like most beings of the Underdark, gloamings are sensitive to the light. It takes time for them to adjust to the sun's brightness, and Tirin is no exception."

          "Is he alright?" Yukiko questioned, eyebrows knitted together in concerned.

          "He is perfectly fine, his eyes are just irritated," Nyras replied soothingly, "He will adapt to it in a few hours."

          "Few hours too long . . ." Tirin muttered sourly.

          Ah, so that was what was wrong. Hm, he guessed this was the trade-off for being able to see in the dark.

          "But, why are you carrying him like that?" Rise asked, mystified.

          "Cause if I don't, he wouldn't of come out of this hole," Korval replied crisply, jerking a thumb over his shoulder.

          "And we do not have time to indulge in his antics," Nyras said, "It is important we remain on the move."

          With that said, Nyras walked ahead, striding passed them until she stood at the edge of the plateau. Looking back, she jerked her head to the left and said, "This way! The path is less steep."

          Everyone glanced at one another before following, reaching the edge and peering over. Indeed, the way down was much less sheer than some of the other sides, sloping down steadily to the grassy ground below. However, some spots still looked a little treacherous, the smooth incline broken up by short, steep drops that would require careful jumping or climbing. He'd have to make sure he helped the others down when they got to those points. At the bottom, a line of trees bordered the edge of the hills just before the lakeside.

          "Uh, I wouldn't get close to him right now if I were you, kid," Korval's warning made him to turn around again, only to see that Teddie was slowly inching his way closer to the gloaming, spurred on by a (possibly dangerous) curiosity.

          "Ugh, Ted . . ." Yosuke sighed.

          The bear paid no heed, instead crouching down and leaning over to try and look Tirin in the face, voice filled with interest, "Do you really not like the sun?"

          "Not when it makes my eyes sting like they've got an angry bee in it," Tirin grumbled back.

          "It really bugs you that much?" Teddie leaned back, a teasing smile on his face as he jeered, "But I thought you were a big bad shadowdancer! A smooth and daring master of the shadows!"

          "Go away," Tirin growled darkly.

          This only egged Teddie on, "And to be taken out by only a little sunshine! How un-grizzly!"

          Tirin growled again, but said nothing. However, the aura he was beginning to exude . . .

          "Uh, Teddie, I really think you should stop," Yu put in.

          Teddie turned around and waved a nonchalant hand at him, "Nah, everything's a-okay, Sensei! It's not like there's anyone around to be scared of, after all!"

          "Uh-!" Korval started, raising a hand.

          His warning came too late. Before he or Teddie could react, Tirin's arm shot out and wrapped tight around the bear's neck, drawing him back into a headlock as he dug his other fist hard into the blonde's head. The gloaming's eyes were tearing up bad, his pupils only razor thin slits, but that did not deter him in the slightest, "'Un-grizzly', huh?! I'll show you un-grizzly, you _tral bran-norrs loth CRAZ!_ "

          "Ow, ow, OW! Mercy! MERCY!" Teddie hollered, trying to wiggle free.

          "Hey!" Korval shouted, grabbing Tirin's arm and pulling it back.

          At once and out of nowhere, Tirin's wings snapped open, feathers slamming into the half-orc's face and making him reel back in surprise, "BAH!"

          Okay, this was getting out of hand.

          "Everyone, team intervention!" as soon as Yu snapped out the order, everyone was barreling towards the squabbling trio to separate the fighting pair.

          Behind them, Nyras pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.

          It was a mess of shouting, hands, and unintelligible curses, but finally they managed to extricate Teddie from Tirin's grasp. The bear now sat a good ten feet away from the still fuming gloaming (who was glaring daggers at him), scuffed up and sporting a nice new bump on his forehead.

          "I hope a lesson's been learned here," Nyras said curtly, and while she was speaking to all of them, her gaze was focused solely on Teddie.

          The bear shifted uncomfortably where he sat but nodded his head, a soft 'uh-huh' leaving him.

          "Good. Then we may carry on," Nyras continued, turning back to the path, "Stay close to one another on the way down. Take it slowly, and no theatrics."

          She began to maneuver her way down, expertly scaling the rock and drops with ease. Korval followed her, face twisted into a scowl that mirrored Tirin's perfectly.

          "I told ya not to get close," Korval grumbled irritably as he passed, looking less than amused.

          "It won't happen again, I promise," Yu said, bowing apologetically.

          When he'd gone, Yosuke spoke up, "Okay, so, new rule; don't mess with Tirin when he's in the sun if you don't wanna get hit."

          "Seconded," Chie said instantly.

          "Ay-ay . . ." Teddie said tiredly, nursing his bump.

          "I think that's a rule we can all get behind after that," Rise said.

          "Yeah . . ." Kanji mumbled, frowning at a few scratches that covered his wrists, "Didn't think it'd be that hard to get him to let go . . ."

          "Agreed," Yu said, "Now let's go."

          Slowly, one by one, his friends began to descend the hill, helping each other out as they maneuvered down the drops until they reached the bottom. The grass that cushioned Yu's feet as he approached the bottom felt no different than any other grass he'd walked on back home. But after so long traversing over cold and endless stone, it felt like heaven at that particular moment in time.

          Chie splayed out along the grass, smiling from ear to ear, "Ah, this feels _great!_ "

          "I'll say!" Rise cheered, running her fingers over the blades, "Gosh, I never thought I'd miss grass so much!"

          "I must agree, I much prefer this to endless corridors of stone," Naoto said with a nod, looking pleased, "It's truly a wonder what we take for granted until we lose it. Like fresh air."

          A breeze blew past, and Yosuke lifted his arms up, smiling as the wind ruffled his hair, "Ah, now that's more like it!"

          Yu closed his eyes and savored the refreshingly cool breeze as well, sighing as the scent of grass and blossoming flowers graced his nose. It really had been too long . . .

          A sharp whistle snapped him out of his daze, and he looked to see that Nyras had pulled out a small silver tube with a narrow slit at the very end. The other end was pressed between her lips, and she blew into again, producing another high-pitched note that echoed over the hills.

          When silence fell again, she put it away and turned to Korval, "The saddles are where we left them, yes?"

          "Bit hard to check when ya got a pissy gloaming under your arm," Korval replied gruffly, still in a bit of bad mood himself.

          "Then put the pissy gloaming down. Wow, now there's an idea," Tirin retorted, arms crossed and frowning hard.

          "We'd be happy to oblige you if you promise not to cause any trouble," Nyras replied smoothly, " _Or_ hinder our journey by running back into the Underdark."

          "Yeah, I promise," Tirin sighed, "Not like it help much _now_ . . ."

          Nyras glanced at Korval, who rolled his eyes and said, "Don't blame me if he disappears."

          With that, he set Tirin back on the ground. Freed at last, the gloaming immediately went to the darkest patch of shade he could find and plunked down in it, pressing his head between his knees and staying there. The sight was sad enough that Yu felt a flicker of pity for the man.

          Relieved of his burden, the half-orc strode over to a nearby tree with large, curving roots that spread out an ample distance from the base. Crouching down, he reached under the curved arch of one and dragged out two large bundles wrapped in oiled cloth. Patting one, Korval said, "Yep, they're here!"

          Smiling, Nyras went to his side and began to pull the cloth away, laying the sheets aside until what lay beneath was finally revealed.

          Two saddles sat on the grass, both of obviously high quality despite the signs of numerous use that left scuff marks across the leather. One was black and quite clearly belonging to Korval due to its rather large size, while the smaller set was a simpler dark brown with black cinch straps and stirrups.

          "Saddles?" Chie asked, looking on with interest.

          "Do you have . . . ?" Yu trialed off when Nyras lifted a hand and gestured with her chin to the hills.

          "Look," was her only reply.

          He looked, and at first saw nothing. Instead, he heard. A distant but unmistakable drumming of hooves that steadily grew louder and louder as the seconds ticked by. Then, two shapes appeared at the top of the hill that sloped up their left, both racing down the incline and gracefully avoiding the trees until they thundered to a stop before them.

          Horses they were indeed, but they were magnificent to behold. The larger of the two easily dwarfed Yu, the top of his head only just meeting the great beast's shoulder. It's black coat shimmered in the sunlight, the corded muscles beneath the skin rippling with vitality and strength. It's large, dense hooves pounded restlessly against the earth, crushing the twigs caught beneath them to powder. It's mane was rough and wild, a tangled mess that whipped through the air as it rose onto it's back legs, releasing a trumpeting neigh that echoed over the hillside. The view revealed a lone white sock that graced the heel of it's back left leg, as well as the fact that this was, indeed, a stallion.

          Yu and his friends hurriedly backed away from the flailing hooves, startled by the neighing. Immediately, Korval dove forward, placing a brusque hand against the stallion's shoulder and bringing it down, "Whoa, hey, take it easy, Bone!"

          The great horse calmed significantly under the man's touch, craning it's neck to peer at Korval with one shiny eye as it stamped a hoof against the ground.

          The other horse, this one much more demure and of slighter frame than it's friend, walked calmly up to Nyras. It's coat was the color of a mourning dove's wing, it's back and haunches dappled with flecks of white and dark gray. The shade darkened significantly as it reached the horse's hooves, the color forming neat black socks on each thin leg. It's gray mane and tail were streaked with silver, the wispy bangs falling neatly between it's large black eyes. Eyes that seemed to hold far more intelligence than that of a normal horse. Reaching out with it's long neck, it snuffled at Nyras' hair, nickering softly.

          Nyras smiled, stroking a soothing hand down the equine's nose as she placed the other against it's neck, whispering so softly he couldn't hear a word she said.

          Yu had never seen horses in real life before, let alone this close. Certainly on the tv or in magazines, but those were very, very different things.

          "Whoa, I've never seen a horse this close before," Chie breathed, fascinated.

          "I've never seen a horse ever!" Teddie cut in, bump forgotten as he looked on with excitement.

          "They're . . . a lot bigger than tv makes them out to be," Yosuke said, staring at the black stallion with a flicker of fear in his eyes.

          "So these are your horses?" Yukiko asked, eyes flicking from one equine to the other.

          Nyras looked their way, keeping a gentle hand on the dappled horse's neck, "Yes, they are. This here is Aira. She's been my companion for many years now. The only reason you're meeting her now is because the Underdark is too treacherous a place for a horse to travel."

          The horse's ears swiveled at the sound of her name, and she stepped forward with an elegant poise that matched her master's. Curiosity brightened the mare's eyes, and she reached out again towards their group.

          Naoto took a slightly startled step back, "Uh, I mean no disrespect, but I do not have any experience with horses."

          "Do not be so afraid," Nyras told the girl calmly, "Aira is only curious about you. She doesn't mean any harm."

          "I understand that, but-" Naoto's mouth snapped shut when the horse suddenly pressed it's snout against her cheek, whinnying gently, "Ah!"

          "Aw, she likes you," Rise cooed.

          "Congratulations, Naoto," Yu said with a smile.

          Naoto sent them an unamused look as the horse pressed closer, nudging her hat askew as it snuffled her hair. Out of reflex, she placed a hand on top of Aira's head, trying to gently push the horse away. The mare took that as a show of affection, however, and proceeded to nuzzle her hand.

          "Ugh . . ." Naoto sighed.

          A soft chuckle reached his ears, and Yu looked to see that Nyras has pressed a hand to her lips to hide an amused smile.

          A sudden stomping behind him made him whirl around just in time to see the large black stallion whisk his head forward to sniff at Kanji, who reeled back with a startled cry, "AH!"

          "Hey, relax!" Korval grunted, lip twitching in amusement, "He's just gettin' to know ya."

          "Yeah, well, he don't have to get that close," Kanji shot back.

          "So, is this guy . . . your horse?" Chie asked, taking a step back when the stallion's eyes alighted on her.

          "You bet! His name's Bonebiter!" The half-orc slapped a hand against the horse's shoulder, "He's a bit rough round the edges, but once ya get to know him, you'll like him."

          "Bonebiter . . . for some reason, I don't think I want to know why you named him that," Yosuke said.

          Korval answered him regardless, "He bit a guy's arm once and it snapped the bone in half. It was pretty great."

          "I literally just said I didn't want to know!" Yosuke protested angrily.

          Korval laughed.

          "Alright, I believe we've dallied enough," Nyras said, though her eyes sparkled with amusement, "Once we saddle the horses, we'll be on our way. I'm sure you're all looking forward to a bath, are you not."

          "You have no idea," Rise said.

          Yu nodded, glancing at his friends and dourly noting their condition. Their clothes were all dirty and torn in some places, some even sporting bloodstains like his own collar. Their hair was tangled and unkempt, and if he was perfectly honest, they were beginning to smell a little rank. A bath would be a godsend.

          "So, if we're saddling them . . . Yukiko started, a spark of excitement flashing through her eyes, "Are we going to ride them?"

           "I call Nyras' saddle!" Teddie shouted, only to whimper when Korval shot him another glare.

          . . . that reaction made a whole lot more sense now that Yu knew what he knew.

          "Actually, we won't be riding them," Nyras cut in, "For one, they can only carry about two people at a time, so we'd end up leaving a good majority of our group behind. No, we will most assuredly be walking."

          "Yay . . ." Yosuke said with zero enthusiasm.

          Nyras didn't reply, instead turning to collect the saddle pad and placing it on Aira's back. As she did so, she said, "Tirin, you would do well to get ready as well."

          Somewhere in the shade, Yu heard Tirin grumble, "Coming . . ."

          The gloaming stumbled out of the copse, holding a hand over his eyes and squinting hard against the sunlight. The poor man looked miserable.

          "Poor Tirin," he heard Yukiko murmur to Chie.

          "Yeah, it is kinda sad to watch, huh?" the brunette girl replied.

          "Nyras said he would adjust in a few hours, so this will not be permanent," Naoto reminded them, quietly rubbing the hand she'd touched the horse with against a pant leg.

          "Still probably sucks somethin' fierce," Kanji said.

          "All we can do is cheer him on," Yu said. It wasn't like they could make the sun disappear, after all, and it would still be some time before nightfall. Until then, Tirin would just have to tough it out.

          Someone shuffled beside him, and he glanced at Teddie. The bear was twiddling his fingers together, a tiny frown on his face as he watched the gloaming stomp ahead. Even though he didn't speak, Yu knew guilt when he saw it.

          Placing a hand on his shoulder, he quietly said, "You can apologize to him later."

          Teddie looked back at him for a long moment, still looking troubled. Then, he nodded, his frown turning into a smile of gratitude for his understanding. Smiling back, Yu squeezed his shoulder before letting go.

          Korval and Nyras saddled the horses quickly, strapping on supplies and saddle bags before putting on the reigns. Well, Korval put reigns on his horse. Nyras left Aira alone.

          "Stay close to us," Nyras told them as she angled Aira towards the shoreline, "Just because we are out of the Underdark does not mean we should let our guards down."

          "Of course . . ." Yosuke mumbled.

          "We'll be traveling along the shore until we reach Sedgeridge," Nyras continued, "I expect we'll make it there by the evening."

          Everyone groaned, some glancing at the midday sun with dread.

          "Don't worry," Nyras said, "We'll be there before you know it."

          With that, she began to walk, Aira treading faithfully after her master with Tirin just behind them. Korval had taken up the rear again with Bonebiter in toe, and slowly, Yu and the rest of his friends set after them as well.

          Glancing out over the sparkling water, Yu had to wonder just what other sorts of marvels they would see on their journey.

(*)

          Blue flames sputtered in the black iron braziers that lined the walls of the room, casting the stone walls in dark, eerie shadows. If one looked closer, they'd see the skulls of the defeated burning in the flames; human, beast, orc, dwarven, all sorts of fallen enemies who's souls now served as fuel for the fire. Behind each of these braziers, a tapestry was hung, woven rugs that depicted images of warfare and bloody conquest. A pair of double doors wrought with gold and iron lay on one side of the room, each door bearing half the image of a snarling demonic head, while on the other end was an elaborate throne made of pure ebony. The legs of the throne were each carved to resemble the jagged talons of a dragon, the arms a chaotic jumble of spikes with only one smooth patch to lay an arm unhindered. A single ruby was embedded at the center of the throne's head, shimmering like a drop of crimson blood against the black stone.

          Sitting upon the throne was a creature the size of a small house, it's body covered in red scales and small horny protrusions the color of slate. It's legs were animalistic in shape, a sharp claw adorning each toe, a pair of black greaves tied tightly to it's thighs. A long, thick tail curled over the side of it's throne, tip ending in a sharp, lethal barb, while it's thickly muscled arms were capped with a pair of heavy, clawed hands, one of which was methodically stroking a jawless skull. One large pauldron of black adamantium was strapped to it's left shoulder, bulging against the muscles. It's bestial face was crowned with a pair of huge black horns that curved upward, metal-shod tips pointing towards each other. It's eyes were deeply set, eyes that burned like brimstone and flame as they stared ahead as if in thought.

          It drew it's lips back into a snarl as the double doors across from it flew open, white fangs glinting as a lone figure came striding arrogantly inside. To weak mortals, the cold flames of it's lair would have leeched them of their warmth and their courage, until only shells remained. But the woman coming towards him, who's hands were already covered in the blood of his minions, who's face was obscured by a long plain cloak, was no weak mortal, and so were only candles that gave no resistance to her coming.

        Glaring, eyes hot with fury, it growled in a deep, dark voice, the skull in it's hands cracking in it's grip, "And what right have you to come barging into my domain? And you best hope I like what I hear, otherwise a slow and painful death will be what you _beg_ me for once I'm through with you."

          Walking until she stood before the throne, the woman placed a hand over her heart and bowed, "Lord Astaroth, Ruler of the Asmodian Isles and Crusher of the Blood War, I humbly request an audience."

          "Humbly?!" the demon scoffed, "After you slaughter my minions and brazenly waltz into my throne room uninvited?!"

          "Your minions were being rather unaccommodating," The woman replied smoothly, "And unfortunately, I could not send word ahead of time. But, if you will hear me out, I believe I have something that will interest you. After all, you have been quite bored since the World Wound was closed, have you not?"

          The demon snorted, but did not yell again. Instead, he settled himself against the throne and barked, "And just what is so important as to warrant _my_ attention?"

          "A chance to test you're skills against worthy opponents," she replied.

          The demon cut her off, "Tantalizing, but hardly enough to be worthy of forgiveness for your transgression."

          "A chance for even greater power than you already have," the woman continued.

          "I will attain power my own way," the demon growled, "And not through another's tricks."

          "And . . ." the woman tossed something out to him, a circular disk that struck the granite with a sharp ring, "A chance for revenge."

          The demon gazed down at the trinket, lip beginning to curl in disgust, hatred flaring in his eyes. As his anger simmered, the woman continued, "Everyone knows of the one defeat of Astaroth the Crusher. The one family who laid an end to your glory in the mortal world."

          With a roar, the demon lifted a hand and smashed it into the ground, crushing the offending trinket beneath his fist, "Wretches! _Maggots!_ Filth-ridden mongrels of an loathsome line! If I could, I'd wipe their names from existence _itself!_ Nowhere would their souls be safe from my wrath, my _vengeance! Curs!_ "

          "And I tell you . . ." the woman said as the demon panted in rage, "I can give you that vengeance you desire. All you have to do is listen to what I have to say."

          The demon glared at her, fuming with an anger so intense the air around him seemed to waver with heat. He remained there for a few moments more. Then, he finally stood up, tearing his fist out of the hole he'd punched in the floor. Reclaiming his seat with a stolid silence unlike his earlier rage, he leaned back and laced his clawed fingers together, red eyes burning.

          "I'm listening."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit, I'm going mach 5 on this story. o.o  
> Not that you guys are complaining. This chapter is a little short, but i don't think you guys will complain about that either. :)
> 
> Translations!
> 
> tral bran-norrs loth CRAZ! - tiny, loud-mouthed little BRAT!


	10. A Song for the Road?

          The water lapped gently along the shore, a soothing and repetitious sound that reminded Yu of the Samegawa Riverbed. The dirt lined shore had gradually turned to shingle the farther they walked, the rounded pebbles crunching softly beneath the soles of his boots. The leaves rustled every now and again, the grassy hills undulating softly with every gusty breath of wind. Yu's eyes passed over a small flock of ducks as they splashed about in the shallows just before the shore, dunking their heads below the waves and throwing water along their feathered backs. Tiny ducklings drifted about between the adults, their downy feathers fluffed out as they cheeped for their mother's attention. The flock drifted farther out as they came near, quacking and flapping their wings as they readjusted themselves. The scene was so oddly quaint and, well, _normal_ , that Yu was almost willing to believe that if he closed his eyes, he'd wake up along the river's edge back in Inaba, having drifted off into a land of strange and magnificent dreams.

          But he knew by now that no such thing would happen. All he had to do was look ahead and see Nyras and her steed to cement that fact in stone. Still, after their time in the Underdark, he was more than happy to watch a group of ducks play in the water if only to feel a small sliver of normalcy again.

          "So . . ." Yu watched as Chie slowly sidled up to Nyras' side, curiosity rolling off her in waves, "Can you tell us more about dragons? Like, uh . . . her name was Tiriel, right?"

          "Tiruviel," Nyras corrected her before replying properly, "And of course I can. It is good that you learn as much as you can about our world and its creatures."

          "What's Tiruviel like?" Yukiko asked.

          "Our meetings with her were brief, but what I gleaned from her the most was knowledge and wisdom. Tiruviel is great wyrm, one of the oldest of dragonkind whose memories stretch back centuries. She is also quite charismatic. When she speaks, you feel compelled to listen," An amused smile tweaked her lips, "And, given how some of our company was at the time, she is also very patient."

          "I didn't know she was a dragon," Yu heard Tirin mumble defensively.

          "How in the world could you _not_ know she was a dragon?" Yosuke demanded, staring at the gloaming. Yu had to agree, it was kinda hard to miss.

          "Well, to be fair, none of us really knew she was a dragon . . ." Korval said.

          Yosuke gaped at him, "How in the world could _none of you_ know she was a dragon?!"

          "She had shifted into a human shape at the time and felt no need to inform us of the fact," Nyras informed them, "It is really not so surprising, is it?"

          "She . . . she what?" Rise started, wide-eyed.

          "Dragons are magical creatures," Nyras explained, "And great wyrms are at the age where their magic is at its peak. Shapeshifting is a relatively easy feat for them to accomplish."

          Silence. Then Yosuke said, " . . . You know what, no. There is just so much weird shit in this world that I'm not even surprised anymore."

          "I'd like to met her!" Teddie chirped enthusiastically, "Anyone who has mastery over their own face must be beautiful indeed!~"

          "Perhaps you will," Nyras replied, "I'm certain she'd find all of you quite fascinating."

          "I'm sure the fascination bit would be all us if we did meet," Yu put in, thinking of the possibility of meeting the glorious beast they'd seen not that long ago and feeling a little daunted by it.

          "If they can shapeshift . . . then technically anyone we meet could be a dragon," Yukiko murmured thoughtfully.

          "No, don't do that," Yosuke said, wincing, "Yukiko-san . . ."

          "Yeah, that's _really_ not an okay thing if that's true," Chie added, looking uncomfortable.

          "Sorry . . ." Yukiko apologized, looking dejected.

          "I doubt you will be encountering any dragons while we remain in the heartland. This area is under Tiruviel's protection, after all," Nyras said, "The only dragons you have to worry about are those in the Chromatic sphere, and most consider donning a form not their own beneath them."

          "You mentioned that before," Naoto said, arms folded in contemplation over her chest, "As well as the word Metallic. Are you perhaps talking about a breed?"

          "More like a class," Nyras replied, "As I said, Metallic dragons are what you would consider 'good'. If you were to encounter one, the worst you'd have to fear would be an impromptu conversation, and that's only if the dragon is bored. Still, you would do well to treat them with respect."

          "And the 'Chro-whatcha-ma-call-it?" Kanji asked.

          "If Metallics are good, I'm going to guess that these ones are not-so-good," Yu said.

          "Exactly," Nyras said, "Chromatic dragons are what most people think of when they hear the word 'dragon'. They are vain, greedy and cruel, and often take great pleasure in tormenting those weaker than themselves. And because of their power, that means most everyone."

          Yu swallowed at that. Many facets of evil, indeed . . .

          "How can we tell the two apart?" he asked, jumping straight for the important information he needed.

          "Fortunately, very easily," Nyras said, and Yu wanted to sigh in relief, "Its as straightforward as the color of their scales. For Metallics, those colors would be gold, silver, copper, bronze, and brass."

          "All different types of metals . . . rather simplistic, but at least that makes it easy to remember," Naoto said.

          "As for Chromatics," Nyras continued, "Their respective scales are red, blue, green, white, and black."

           "And actual colors," Yukiko commented, "That's easy too."

          "It would be to your benefit to remember these differences," Nyras told them, "Though it is my hope such knowledge will never be needed."

          "I hope so too, but it's better to be prepared," Yu said.

          Nyras nodded in agreement, "Yes, it is."

          They walked for a few more paces in silence save for the water sluicing over the pebbled shore, most likely wrapped up in the thoughts of dragons, when Kanji finally spoke up, "So, uh, what exactly do _you_ guys do? Do ya, like, fight things?"

          "'Do we fight things', he asks us," Korval grunted in amusement, "S'not like we're carryin' weapons or anythin'."

          "Sh-shut up, ya know what I meant, you-! Me! Whatever!" Kanji shot back, shoulders hunching.

          Yu had to fight down a smile for Kanji's sake.

          "Yes, we fight," Nyras interjected, taking up the question, "But only out of necessity. If, however, you are asking about our occupation, I suppose the most appropriate title would be freelancers. We take what work is requested of us and fulfill it to the best of our abilities."

          "Is that why you were in the Underdark?" Rise asked.

          "Yes, actually. We were asked to look into a rash of disappearances in the area and see if we could find the cause," a more dour note entered her tone, "Which, unfortunately, seems tied to the slave band you encountered."

          "Seriously?" Yosuke asked.

          "Mm. There were no dens in the outlying wilderness or signs of carnage related to monster activity, and the disappearances were always far too clean and precise, which ruled out bandits. However, drow slavers kidnapping people in the dead of night makes a great deal of sense, especially with the help of a priestess to cover their tracks," Nyras hummed thoughtfully, then continued, "But that should not be your concern. The slavers are dead, and the priestess has fled the area. Of course, that does not mean their is no possibility of future raids. For now, the most we can do is warn the villages of their trespass."

          "But what about the people they kidnapped?" Yosuke asked, "They're still down there, aren't they?"

          Nyras didn't respond immediately, and when she did, it was with somber frown, "Those people have most likely already been transported to the lower levels of the Underdark, to various drow cities. Unfortunately, they are beyond our reach."

          "But . . . those were just innocent people," Chie protested, "You can't seriously just turn your back on them and be okay with it, can you?"

          "No, we ain't okay with it!" Korval cut in sharply, "But if they're in drow cities, then there ain't no way we can bust into one of those without gettin' killed! And if we're dead, then what good are we?"

          "And even if they did get in," Tirin surprisingly put in, voice disturbingly blank of emotion, "The first people the drow would send out to fight them would be the slaves, so its a moot point anyway."

          "I know it must be terrible to hear . . . but that is the harsh reality of this situation," Nyras put in softly.

          Yu involuntarily clenched his hand into a fist, but reluctantly had to concede their points. Looking at it from a completely and coldly logical perspective, infiltrating an entire city alone for a few people was an utterly stupid move. And if what Tirin said was true, it would just end in a bloodbath anyway.

          That didn't mean he had to like it. And judging by the frowns and furrowed eyebrows all around him, he wasn't the only one.

          No one said anything after that, a dismal cloud having descended upon the group like a sheet of heavy ash, stifling in its thickness. Aira whinnied softly against the sullen atmosphere as Bone huffed and stomped a hoof against the ground, but both fell quiet soon after.

          They carried on down the shore, and Yu returned his attention to the scenery. The lake still shimmered beneath the sun, and occasionally he could make out the shadow of a fish just below the surface before it darted away. Another gentle gust blew by, stirring the leaves and grass and rippling over the water while a flock of birds rose up like an undulating cloud from the branches and took off over the hill. Other wildlife scurried in the undergrowth, squirrels and the occasional rabbit darting round the bases of the trees and vanishing into the tall fronds. In the distance to the north, he could just make out the rising peaks of several mountains, a few thin, trailing clouds hovering around their tips.  Looking ahead, he could see that the shore was curving inland around a bend of trees, going deeper into the hills. But Sedgeridge must still be some distance away, so the chances of a village popping up around the corner were pretty slim.

          That was when a soft yet rhythmic tune ghosted over his ears, so soft that at first he thought he had imagined it. But no, listening closer he realized it _was_ an actual song. And it was coming from behind him . . .

          Looking back, he found the source quickly, and he couldn't help the small smile that made it's way to his face.

          Yosuke had pulled his headphones up over his head, a hand over his player while the other was cupped around the right earphone, lightly bobbing his to the beat of whatever song was playing. It was the same sort of thing he'd done in the tv world as they walked through dungeons or even back in Inaba as they walked through the streets, and he found the sight strangely nostalgic and . . . comforting, in its own way.

          It soon became clear to him that it wasn't just his attention Yosuke had won, either. Behind him, he saw Korval look his way, and though his helmet blocked half of his face, Yu could imagine his thick eyebrows furrowing together in confusion. Glancing back to the front, he saw Nyras was looking back as well, frowning faintly with puzzlement. 

          "What's this?"

          Yu turned around again just in time to see Tirin smoothly filch the player from Yosuke's belt, turning it over with a curious stare.

          "H-hey! Hands off!" Yosuke snapped, trying to snatch it back.

          Tirin sidestepped the swipe easily as he pulled his goggles down over his eyes, examining the object closely.

          "I said give it back!" Yosuke shouted again, pulling his headphones back around his neck and reaching for the player again.

          Tirin dodged it again, undeterred as he mused, "Huh, this isn't made of metal . . . I've never seen an alloy like this before, what is it?"

           "It's called plastic, now drop it!" Yosuke seethed, grabbing for it again.

          Tirin spun to Yosuke's other side just in time, hooking a finger around the headband and pulling Yosuke's headphones free as he did so. By now, everyone had stopped walking to stare at the two as they fought over the player, watching silently and-in some cases-amusedly.

          "God _dammit-!_ " Yosuke shouted.

          "And there aren't any magic runes, either," Tirin continued, looking more and more puzzled, "How is it singing?"

          "It's not magic, it's technology! And I swear, if you don't give them back _right now_ , I'll-!"

          He choked to a stop as Tirin shoved the objects in his arms, the gloaming looking at him rather intensely, "Show me how they work."

          Yosuke stuttered, floundering, "Wha- . . . you- . . . I just-!"

          "Show me how they work!" Tirin insisted, leaning until he was almost nose-to-nose with Yosuke.

          The other boy leaned back, pushing him away, "Hey, back up, would ya? Jesus, it's just a player! Ya know, for music?"

          Tirin tilted his head inquisitively to the side, obviously not quite understanding what he meant. Which, Yu realized belatedly, of _course_ he wouldn't. This world, while rife with magic and other impossibilities, was obviously lacking in terms of technological advancement. How the hell would any of them know about a 'player' or its purpose?

          He quickly informed Yosuke of such, "Actually, I don't think they do, Yosuke."

          "Huh?" the brunette looked at him.

          "He is . . . correct," Nyras said from where she stood, "This . . . 'player' of yours is unknown to us. At least, I know I have never heard of such a thing."

          She looked mildly uncomfortable, as if admitting to ignorance was painful. But there was also a brighter gleaming her eyes, a gleam of curiosity and a desire to learn.

          "And you wouldn't," Naoto said, "I do not mean this as an insult in the slightest, but over time it has become clear to me that your world is . . . much less technologically advanced than our own."

          "So, what does that mean?" Korval cut in.

          "Just that our worlds have evolved differently. You have magic, and thus have had no need to adapt to certain things for you've always had the means to overcome them. In our world, where there is no magic, we've had to adapt differently, and technology is the result. Yosuke-senpai's player is one such technical commodity, amongst others."

          "And it . . . sings?" Korval looked skeptical, "Don't ya have bards for that?"

          "Well, we have pop-stars . . ." At Korval's puzzled look, Yosuke averted his eyes, "You know what, nevermind."

          "The point of a player is to have an easily portable device that allows the owner to listen to music and the like when no such . . . bard is around. To put in very simple and understandable terms," Naoto explained.

          "And it requires no magic in order to function?" Nyras questioned, looking more and more interested.

          "Nope, all it needs is a battery!" Yosuke said. Then he frowned, "Although I don't know how long it'll last without an outlet to charge at . . ."

          "Outlet? Battery?" Tirin asked, eyebrows knitted in profound confusion, "Also, what's 'evolve'?"

          "Ah, that's right . . . you also wouldn't know of Darwinian Theory . . . " Naoto mused to herself.

          "Was the weapon you carried one such innovation?" Nyras asked, "I'd never seen a weapon of it's make before."

          "Ah . . . yes, it was," Naoto idly rubbed the place where she'd been struck by the whip, frowning, "Unfortunately, I no longer have it. That drow's attack sent it plummeting into the forest back in the Underdark."

          "I see . . ." Nyras mused, looking thoughtful.

          "Um . . ." Yukiko started.

          "Not that you shouldn't be curious or anything, but maybe we should keep walking?" Chie suggested, digging the toe of her boot into the shingle, "I mean, I kinda want to find this town before lights out."

          "Yes, you're right. We have delayed long enough. However . . ." Nyras looked to Naoto, "If it is acceptable, I would like to ask you more about this technology of yours. As well as this 'Darwinian Theory'."

          "I don't see why not," Naoto replied with an agreeing nod, "Although, it might be bit difficult to explain most of it without any referential material."

          "Huh, it really does make music," Korval commented, looking at Yosuke's player.

          Yosuke shot him a puzzled look, "Huh? Dude, I stopped playing this a while ago. I'm trying to save the battery."

          " . . . what? But if that ain't you . . . ?"

          Yu and everyone else stopped abruptly, now listening very closely. Korval was right. In the newfound silence, he could definitely hear singing. But the sound wasn't coming from Yosuke's player, as he had assumed it had been. In fact . . . it sounded like it was coming from further inland over the hills, a tune that rose and fell like the waves lapping at the shore, haunting yet beautiful all the same.

          ". . . what is that?" Yosuke asked.

          "Ooh, it sounds pretty," Teddie said, holding his hands over his ears to listen.

          "Its not dangerous, right?" Rise asked.

          "I cannot say for sure," Nyras said slowly before placing a hand on Aira's back, the horse whinnying under her touch, "In any case, it is far enough away that we can carry on without attracting its attention. Let's go."

          "Yeah . . ." Korval mumbled, hand gripping the shaft of his hammer.

          They all made to follow, when Tirin suddenly jolted and shouted, "Wait! Nyras, Korval, listen!"

          "We hear it Tirin, and we've already decided to move on," Nyras said, a hand hovering close to her crossbow.

          "No, _listen!_ " he insisted forcefully.

          "She told ya, we did! What's gotten into you?" Korval demanded, looking unsettled.

          Rolling his eyes, the gloaming turned to them and . . . started singing along?

          "Until the trees do shimmer gold, and the moon does rise in the morn, I'll wait for you and sing this tune, of love that's left forlorn."

          Yu glanced around, his puzzled expression mirrored on everyone else's faces perfectly. That is, until sudden realization flashed over Nyras' and Korval's faces in perfect tandem, the two whirling to face each other in surprise.

          "No way," Korval said.

          "If it is, then even gods could not plan so coincidental a meeting," Nyras replied.

          "Is this something we should worry about?" Yu questioned, looking between the two uncertainly.

          "Nope, not at all! Now come on!" Tirin suddenly took off up the hill, the shadows by his feet flickering as Xirskam followed.

          "Ugh, he is incorrigible," Nyras muttered under her breath. Then, in a louder voice, she said, "It seems Tirin has decided our destination for us. Come on."

          Yu looked at his companions, no closer to understanding the situation _at all_ and feeling slightly helpless for it. The looks they gave him in return were just as clueless, but, since they had no choice but to follow their protectors, they were soon moving out again.

          The trees grew a little denser as they moved inland, the gentle splashing of the lake fading away as they walked. In its place was the strange, humming tune they'd heard by the shore, a lullaby that weaved through the trees like a siren's song and grew steadily louder as they progressed over the hills.

          He and his friends remained subdued, absorbed by the oddly soothing song while their counterparts remained focused on their task. At least, Nyras and Korval were. Tirin had disappeared somewhere ahead.

          Thankfully, they found him soon, standing on the crest of tall hill with Xirskam nestled in the shadows just behind him. Smiling, he beckoned them over and pointed down.

          When he go to the edge, Yu found himself looking down from a high-rise to a narrow glade between two hills. At the center of the glade, a trail of trodden grass and rutted earth had been made, the wheels of a great many wagons having left their mark in the soil as a sign of frequent use by travelers. Amazingly, he saw that it was in use now. Three caravans were stopped along the trail, several sun-kissed and shoddily dressed people running two and fro around them, shouting to each other in a unknown language. Great draft horses were hooked to each caravan, two per vehicle, the beasts stomping their hooves and shaking their heads restlessly as they waited to move. Scattered around the caravans were a motley assortment of armored figures, all of whom were laying on the ground in heaps, swords and bows strewn about carelessly as if they'd tossed them aside. At first, Yu though they were dead until two of the awake ones hoisted one of the downed bodies up, the man releasing a loud, brutish snore that told Yu he was just asleep. Hastily, the two began to bind the man's hands with thick rope as the others collected the weapons discarded at his side, storing them away in the caravans. What in the world had happened here?

          The singing, he realized, had gotten louder as well, and with a start, he found the source. Someone was sitting on the side of the middle caravan, one leg crossed over the other as their hands skillfully strummed a harp resting upon their lap. A long white cloak was draped over their shoulders, the edges lined with five metallic threads of different colors that glinted in the light. Their hood was pulled up and hiding their face, but it did nothing to hinder the tune flying from their lips. It was definitely a feminine voice, the figure gently rocking from side to side in time to her song, and Yu felt entranced by the motion. In just that slight action, he could see that there was a fluid grace to her body, every move so perfectly in sync it was a little unsettling.

          A sudden shout of alarm tore him from his thoughts, and he started when he saw one of the tanned travelers was running to the woman. A moment later, three shapes suddenly burst from the trees on the other side of the glade, tearing down the hillside on the backs of strong-legged horses. The whooped and hollered, two brandishing swords while the third notched an arrow in a heavy longbow. The travelers scattered in fright as they hurtled passed to the other side of the caravans, the bowman pulling back his arrow and firing at the woman.

          He heard several of his friends gasp even as the arrow missed it's mark by a hairsbreadth, the woman making no move save to stop her song and glance their way. The horsemen with swords circled her then, waving their weapons in her face threateningly and jeering at her. He heard Bone give a fierce neigh, seeing the confrontation and stamping his hooves in prospect of a fight. Korval, too, looked ready to jump in at any moment, teeth bared in a snarl.

          "Aren't you going to do something?!" Yosuke demanded the trio.

          "Wait," Nyras told them calmly.

          "Wait?! That woman's being attacked!" Chie protested.

          "You have to do something!" Yu put in, wishing he himself could charge in their of his own volition if he knew it wouldn't just get him killed.

          "But that woman's already doing something," Tirin interrupted from where he crouched, smirking knowingly, "She's been working her magic on them ever since they appeared."

          Rise stared at him, "Magic?"

          "Look," Nyras told them, gesturing with her hand.

          Look he did, and he found that the woman was calmly speaking to them, unruffled despite their threats. And . . . and strangely, the men were listening to her. The woman idly brandished her arm to the sun, then to the grass, voice sounding sweet and tempting as she spoke.

          Then, to his sheer amazement, the men looked at each other, mumbled something, then _dropped their weapons_ and climbed off their horses. Spreading out along the verdant grass, they lay back and closed their eyes, as if they were planning on taking a nap right then and there. They didn't get up again.

          Yosuke stared, "What . . . what did she-?"

          "A suggestion spell," Nyras said, "If a person's will is weak, then any reasonable thing she asks of them they will do. Which in this case seems to be 'take a nap on this fine afternoon'."

          Take a nap . . . was that magic what she'd used on the other bandits? He shuddered to think at the level of control she must have exerted on their conscious' to do that, knowingly or not. But at least it hadn't ended in a bloodbath . . .

          Korval frowned, looking disappointed, "Was kinda hopin' at least one of em woulda held out . . ."

          "Then she would have most likely dispatched him herself, Korval," Nyras said.

          Yu felt a sudden cold shiver travel down his spine, and with a jolt, he realized the woman was looking at them. Briefly, he wondered if this was an enemy they should be wary of. 

          But then she was turning away, cheerfully calling out to the caravan riders who were hiding within their vehicles and gesturing to the horses formerly belonging to the sleeping thugs. Gradually (and somewhat hesitantly), the people began to clamber and once again set to work on gathering up the rest of the weapons and tying down the bandits.

          "Come on, let's go," Tirin said, trotting down the hill to the strange scene below.

          "Uh, we sure this is okay?" Yosuke asked, uncertainty in his eyes.

          "Trust me. We are fine," Nyras said, and Yu had to wonder at the knowing smile on her face as she tread down the hill as well.

          Yu felt his friends uncertain glances land on him, and he shrugged, "What can we do?"

          "Follow them, I guess?" Chie said, "They don't seem like they're worried about whoever that is."

          "Whoever she is . . ." Yukiko suddenly gasped, "Wait, you don't think she's-?!"

          Eyes widened, and suddenly everything was clicking into place for Yu. Holy shit, if she was right . . .

          "Come on!" Chie shouted, rushing down the hill in newfound excitement.

          Everyone followed, finding that their protectors had already found their way to the robed woman, circling her with smiles and hushed voices. He noticed Tirin hand her something long and thin, a strip of varnished white wood with a glossy coating and a lightly knobbed grip. It almost looked like . . . a wand.

          The robed woman noticed their arrival quickly, and with a flourish of her hand, she tapped the tip of wand to her throat and mumbled something he couldn't understand. Then she handed it back to Tirin and moved forward to meet them.

          He saw a smile curl the corners of her rosy lips just beneath her hood as she glanced back at the trio, her voice a bright, cheerful, _familiar_ lilt, "Well, I guess you guys have been having a way more interesting week than me, huh?"

          She turned back to the group, smile still on her lips as she said, "Oh, but just where have my manners gone? You little ones are probably just dying to know who I am, aren't you?"

          With a dramatic sweep of her hand, she threw her hood back, and Yu heard Rise give a soft gasp.

          For standing in front of them was none other than Rise's counterpart, her copper hair tumbling over her slender shoulder save for a small portion tied up into delicate waterfall braid, burgundy eyes flashing with mirth as she gazed over them all. Her skin was incredibly pale but free of blemishes of any sort, snow white and as smooth as porcelain. If Rise's pretty features had left him a little speechless when they first met, then he was almost struck dumb by just how _beautiful_ the woman before them was, so beautiful it was almost unearthly.

          The white cloak she wore caught against her elbow as she placed her hand against her hip, parting the obscuring veil and revealing the clothes she wore underneath. A shirt as red as a rose and as wispy and light as gossamer was pulled over her chest, the delicate material holding her body in all the right ways and frankly making it hard to focus on anything else. The embroidery along the cuffs and sleeves depicted a menagerie of leaves and flowers, and occasionally, Yu thought he could detect just the faintest scent of roses enveloping the cloth. A thin band of rose-tinted crystal hung around her neck from thin, bone-white twine, and below that a tear-drop shaped pendant of blue-green crystal hung from a silver chain. A sumptuous red silk sash was cinched around her waist, set with a large ruby cabochon surrounded by an embroidered silver circle, and below that was a pair of dark pants and soft leather boots touched with silk. A golden chain bracelet hung from her left wrist, and if he looked closely, he thought he could make out tiny metal charms dangling from the fine chain. Her harp was nowhere to be seen.

          Placing a hand over her heart and brandishing it out in some form of greeting, the woman's smile grew a touch bigger as she said, "Rhysana Tylvanni, at your service! And I think we've got quite the story to tell here, don't we?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My wrists hurt.
> 
> Enjoy. :)


	11. The Coquettish Bard and the Awkward Teens

          The chocked silence this time around Yu was sure had less to do with that fact that another counterpart was standing in front of them and more to do with simple, star struck awe. He was also fairly certain that it wasn't the afternoon sun that was making him a little hot under the collar, because _wow_ . . . this woman was gorgeous . . . to the point where even the girls were struck speechless.

          After about a minute of watching them moon at her, the woman-Rhysana-glanced back at her companions, feigning a worried pout, "Oh dear, do you think I might have been a little too forward?"

          "You tend to render most of the people we meet speechless, so I would not worry," Nyras responded without missing a beat, smiling.

          "Aw, stop, you're making me blush!" Rhysana replied, playfully waving a dismissive hand the ranger's way.

          Tirin (who had been looking noticeably less annoyed with everything) edged closer to her side, leaning forward a little to get a better look at them and grinning, "Nah, this is a pretty normal look for them. Although, don't take that to mean they aren't appreciating the beauty only a desert rose like you could offer!~"

          Rhysana wagged a finger at him, but the coy smile on her lips remained, "Still the flirt, I see, but ever lacking in actual tact. Desert roses are abhorrently sun-dependent, Tirin, not to mention garish. If you're going to try and woo someone with words, at least find a comparison that's appropriate."

          "Ah, madam, you wound me!" Tirin placed an injured hand over his heart, but his smile was teasing, "Maybe I should compare you to a desert viper instead?"

          Amazingly, rather than be offended, Rhysana only chuckled, a sound that brought to mind the image of a cherub, "Ah, so he can learn! I guess we do live in age of miracles!"

          "Y- . . . y-you're . . ."

          Rise's stuttering brought the counterparts respective attention back to them, and Rhysana tilted her head to the side, "Speaking of miracles . . ."

          She walked toward them until she stood in front of Rise, close enough to Yu that the rosy scent she gave off became noticeably more acute and tantalizing to him. She was . . . _really_ close . . .

           It occurred to him that he might be being charmed somehow, but he couldn't quite grasp the wherewithal to break it.

          "I'd love to hear your story, little me," Rhysana was speaking directly to Rise this time, and the poor girl's face began to bear a striking similarity to a beet.

          Rhysana chuckled, "Aw, no need to be so shy! In fact, all of you, speak up! I'd love to at least know your names!"

          "U-uh . . ." Yosuke stuttered stupidly, slack-jawed and red-faced.

          "W-we . . . u-um . . ." Chie floundered, and looking embarrassed for it.

          "I-I . . ." Yukiko started before trialing off, casting her gaze to the floor.

          There was the sound of someone sharply clearing their throat, followed by Naoto valiantly taking the reigns despite the red that tinted her cheeks, "I apologize for our rudeness . . . my name is Naoto Shirogane."

          "And no surprise, the little Nyras takes the lead!" Rhysana crowed. Smiling, she gestured to Naoto's head, tip of a slender finger brushing the rim of her hat, "Also, that is an adorable hat! It's such a charming little accessory that matches your quiet mystique. And your eyes, too."

          "A-ah!" thrown off by the compliment, the red in Naoto's cheeks deepened as she self-consciously pulled her hat down.

          "That was your cue to agree with me, by the way," Rhysana added, looking directly and expectantly at Kanji. Like she was waiting for him to . . .

          Oh _shit_.

          "H-huh?! C-cue?" Kanji shouted, looked absolutely bewildered as his face flushed crimson.

          Nearby, he noticed Korval smack a hand against his helmeted head, muttering unintelligibly as Tirin began to giggle uncontrollably. Desperate to keep things from flying off the handle even more, he sent Nyras a pleading look.

          Luckily, she was already stepping forward, "Rhysana-"

          She leaned over and whispered something in the woman's ear (probably something along the lines of their secret), before pulling back with a searching look. Slowly, Rhysana nodded in understanding, "Ah, I get it. Well, that's disappointing . . ."

          Inwardly, Yu sighed in relief.

          "But I guess there's no helping that!" Rhysana continued, brushing the revelation off like loose dust, "So, what about the rest of you, huh? You must have names, especially if you don't want me to keep calling you 'little ones' all of the time."

          Given enough time to recollect himself, Yu took a breath and gave the woman a courteous bow, trying to ignore the definite burn he still felt in his cheeks as he struggled to keep his voice stable, "My name is Yu Narukami. A pleasure to meet you, Tylvanni-san."

          "A pleasure to meet you, too, even if technically we've already met. And no need to be so formal! Rhys will do just fine," The woman said, and Yu felt the weight of her gaze like a heavy, tingling shroud despite her warm smile.

          A hand appeared around his arm before he could reply, and he looked to see that Rise had taken a position next to him, fingers clamping around his elbow tight. When she spoke, her voice seemed a little more clipped than was normal, as well as a touch defensive, "Rise Kujikawa. My name. Nice to meet you."

          Rhysana picked up on the tone immediately, and she gave a quick glance at the hand Rise had placed on his arm. Oh, this might actually be _bad_. He really didn't want another situation like Rise and Marie breaking out here, that would cause disharmony in the ranks _real_ quick!

          Then Rhysana was leaning down so she could look Rise in the eye, smile never dimming as she politely replied, "Rise, hm? Now, doesn't that just roll off the tongue! Quite a lovely name for a lovely girl, I think."

          At first, Rise faltered, obviously not expecting the compliment as her face flushed again. She lowered her gaze, looking a mite embarrassed, "U-um . . . thank you."

          Rhysana's smile grew bigger before she stood upright, eyes passing on to the remainder of his group, "And what can I call you, sylphie?"

          Yu turned his head just in time to see Yosuke sputter, looking profoundly confused, "H-huh? S-sylphie? W-what does that mean?"

          "Calm down, it was just a nickname," Rhysana soothed. Placing a thoughtful finger against her chin, she added, "Although I guess you're right, it doesn't make sense when I use it on you. So, why don't we just stick to a real name, hm?"

          Yosuke stared at her, and it wasn't until Yu gave him a quiet nudge to the side that he jumped and blurted out, " _Yosuke Hanamura_! U-uh," he paused to clear his throat, trying to sound more masculine, "Yosuke Hanamura. N-nice to meet you."

          Under his breath, he muttered, "Man, _really_ not the time to be screwing up."

          Rhysana chuckled, covering her mouth slightly before reaching out and . . . patting his head like a mother would a child, "Don't try too terribly hard, sweetheart. You're a little too young for my tastes."

          Yu's heart went at Yosuke's crushed expression, the boy making a pained noise in the back of his throat. He hadn't even tried to ask her out yet . . . talk about being shot down . . .

          Behind him, he heard Chie suck in a breath between her teeth, "Ooh, now _that_ was brutal."

          "The harsh rejection of a beautiful songstress leaves the Junes Prince near tears . . ." Teddie hummed sadly, "Truly a sad sight."

          "I'd feel bad if I didn't think Rhysana-san had just dodged a bullet . . ." Yukiko whispered.

          “Breaking hearts even before they’ve been given to her. That’s Rhysana!” Tirin said with a smile.

          “Yeah, you’ve got experience there, don’t ya?” Korval grumbled as he pulled Bone away from the other horses, who were beginning to huff nervously.

          Without losing his smile, the gloaming replied, “Shut up.”

          "Sorry, Yosuke," Rhysana said, "But I'd rather we clear that sort of thing up now. And that statement applies to all of you, by the way."

          He felt Rise relax next to him, grip loosening. Behind him, he heard Teddie whine in disappointment.

          "Besides, aren't you . . ." Rhysana suddenly trailed off, her thoughtful gaze traveling towards Yu before flashing to Kanji and Naoto. Then she said with finality, "You know what, nevermind. Now, carrying on . . ." Rhysana turned her attention to Chie and Yukiko, who were both standing side by side, "What are you're names?"

          The two glanced at each other, shifting a little awkwardly before Chie stepped up, nodding a little unsurely, "Chie Satonaka. Nice to meet you."

          Following her friend's lead, Yukiko gave a formal bow, "Yukiko Amagi. Pleasure."

          "Also lovely names!" she gave a cursory glance at Yukiko, a sad little frown marring her pretty face, "A shame about that gown of yours. It looked like it was quite the eye-catcher in its heyday."

          The girl awkwardly shifted, seeming to just notice the tears and dirty smears on the once silken fabric, "It . . . does look pretty bad, doesn't it?"

          "Don't worry, we can get it patched once we get to the next town. We can even get a matching one for your friend!" Rhysana promised her.

          “Uh, I don’t know if that’ll really work with me . . .” Chie interrupted.

          Rhysana waved a hand at her, “And who told you that? Sure, maybe the color’s a little unflattering, but that’s easily remedied with some dye. Maybe a nice emerald . . . ah, but that’s a conversation for another day.”

          Chie’s cheeks bloomed red even as the woman turned her attention to Kanji, "Now, how about you, strong-man?"

          "U-uh . . ." Kanji stuttered and abashedly rubbed the back of his head before continuing, "Kanji Tatsumi."

          "Kan-ji," Rhysana repeated, testing the way it felt on her tongue, "Hm, strong and bold. A good fit."

          "Um . . . t-thanks, I guess . . ." Kanji mumbled awkwardly.

          "And . . ." Rhysana turned to Teddie, who lit up under the attention, "What about you, goldie?"

          "My name's Teddie!" the bear responded exuberantly. Placing his hands behind his back, he added coyly, "Buuut, you can call me Goldie, too! Whatever makes a fair maiden like you happy!"

          "A fair maiden? Ha," Rhysana laughed, "You like to play the cute card, don't you?"

          "Hee hee, that's me!" Teddie moved a little closer, "Are you suuuure everyone here is too young for you?"

          "Absolutely everyone," Rhysana replied without hesitating.

          "Gah!"

           A flurry of movement nearby distracted Yu’s attention, and he saw that another one of the odd traveler’s was running up to them. His clothes were patchy and hanging loosely from his body, a baggy wrap of roughly stitched brown wool wrapped over his head. A large, splodgy dark mole covered his left cheek, a gap showing clearly between his two front teeth as he talked rapidly to Rhysana, keeping his head bowed in a show of respect. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Nyras subtly pull her hood back over her head.

          Rhysana nodded before replying, gesturing to her companions and his own before pointing to the caravans. The man’s eyes bugged, mouth hanging open as he beheld Rhysana’s friends with nothing short of reverential awe. Then he hastily bowed, blabbering almost incoherently as he backed away. When he turned, he began shouting to the others, who hurriedly began to clamber back around the caravans, the horses snuffling in eagerness to be away.

          Yu looked to Rhysana for answers (or anyone, really, since he hadn’t understood a word that had been said), when Nyras took a step forward, her frown of disapproval just visible beneath the shadow of her hood, “While we appreciate the offer, I’d rather we stay away from the road, Rhysana.”

          “That’s just your paranoia talking,” the woman replied with a dismissive wave of her hand.

          “For good reason,” Nyras said stiffly, giving a pointed glance at the bandits who were being rounded up into the caravans.

          “Wait, what’s going on?” Yu stepped in, “Some clarification would be nice.”   

          “I’ve asked the traders to give us a ride to Sedgeridge!” Rhysana said with a beaming smile. She pointed down the road that was carved into the earth, “This path goes right by the town! It’s quicker than trying to skirt by the lake, and you can keep off your feet until we get there!”

          “Seriously, there’s a road?” Yosuke said, “Why didn’t we just take that in the first place?!”

          “Because bandits like to use this road as well, as you can see, and frankly I had no desire to put you in harm’s way,” Nyras cut in, crossing her arms.

          “That’s true . . .” Yukiko said, glancing at the unconscious men.

          “That’s sweet of you Nyras,” Rhysana put in, “But I think they’ll be fine for the rest of the way, especially with us watching their backs. Besides, I just took out a whole group on my own without even lifting a finger. Even you can’t argue with those results!~”

           Nyras pursed her lips, but before she could reply, a scuffle distracted her.

          “Woulda get out of there? No one gave ya permission to freeload!” Korval was glaring at Tirin, a hand clutched around the gloaming’s ankle as he tried to clamber inside the last caravan.

          Tirin leaned back out of the vehicle, frowning, “But they said it was fine! And shade!”

          “You weren’t complainin’ about the sun two minutes ago!”

          “ _Shade!_ ”

          “Hmhm, those two haven’t changed a bit,” Rhysana laughed, amused.

          Nyras sighed, though there was a touch of fondness on her face, “No, they have not.”

          “It looks like Tirin’s made up his mind too, and we know Korval goes wherever you go, so that just leaves . . .” Rhysana looked at Yu, “Well? Do you want to go back the way you came, or hitch a ride with me and the rest of these lovely people?”

          Yu looked at his friends, “Well? This is your guy’s decision.”

          “ . . . I wouldn’t mind getting off my feet,” Yukiko admitted softly.

          “Yeah, kinda agree . . . these boots are really starting to chafe,” Yosuke said, but he still looked hesitant, “But the stuff about the bandits . . .”

          “That is a concern we shouldn’t dismiss,” Naoto said.

          “But the road will get us there quicker, and it’s not like we’re taking it by ourselves,” Chie put in, “I mean, Rhysana-san just took care of a whole band by herself, and we’ve also got the others too!”

          “Sides, worse comes to worse, we can fight back,” Kanji added, looking determined, “I ain’t gonna let some scrawny pack of thieves lay a finger on anyone!”

          Yu smiled, “That’s a sentiment I share completely.”

          “So, road?” Yosuke prompted.

          A chorus of affirmative sounds rose up, and eventually, Naoto and Nyras both had to fold in acquiescence.

          “Alright, then let’s head out!” Rhysana said, leading them to the last caravan, “Up you go everyone, there’s plenty of room!”

          “WA-HOO! ROAD TRIP!” Teddie shouted in delight.

          The interior was indeed surprisingly spacious despite the small crates that were stacked against the walls, the wooden vesicles wrapped together with rope to keep them from toppling over. He could occasionally catch a whiff of different foodstuffs and herbs, but most of it was overpowered by the smell of horse. Four small, glassless windows were set into the wall, the two near the back pulled open to let in some light while the ones further in were closed via wooden doors.

          Tirin was sitting on one of the crates near the front, leaning against the rough wooden hull of the caravan and idly carving a piece of timber with a small knife. Where he had procured it in such short time, Yu couldn’t begin to guess. Rhysana walked ahead, taking a seat opposite him, white cloak flaring around her.

          Slipping inside, he took a seat on another crate next to Tirin, and slowly, everyone began to climb inside as well. Yosuke sat next to him while Naoto, Kanji and Rise sat on the opposite side, commandeering crates for themselves. Unfortunately there were only a limited number of available crates, so Chie, Yukiko and Teddie ended up on the floor between them. Korval and Nyras took the other end by the doors, Korval’s massive frame taking up much of the available space, and behind them he could see their horses waiting patiently behind the caravan. Rise would occasionally give quick, surreptitious glances at her counterpart before looking somewhere else, fiddling awkwardly with her hair.

          It was a little cramped, but Yu was grateful to be off his feet. And, with any luck, they’d reach the village soon.

          A small shape appeared by the painted doors; a young woman dressed much like the man had been save for the patchy skirt around her legs. Her face was lined with sweat and her hazel eyes were huge as she stood before them, voice a tiny tremble as she talked.

           Nyras gave her a patient response and nodded, and the woman bowed and scurried away. She returned a moment later, handing Nyras a small burlap sack and a cutting knife that had been recently sharpened. The ranger took the proffered items with a grateful nod, and the girl bowed again and left, closing the doors as she did so.

          Left alone, Nyras reached inside and pulled out the contents; a long loaf of bread, a hunk of yellowed cheese, and a large raw onion. With quick twists of her wrist, she cut a neat slice off of each piece and laid them together so the cheese and onion rested atop the bread like some kind of incomplete sandwich, which she then held out to Yukiko, “Pass that down, if you will.”

          She went back to her work, and as the rich smell of the cheese and the onion began to fill the caravan, Yu’s mouth began to water.

          Yosuke handed him the first slice, and his stomach grumbled impatiently. But he staved off the desire to shove the food in his mouth and instead offered it to Tirin. Passing it down and all that . . .

          He grinned, “Ooh, for me? You shouldn’t have!”

          He took the slice and popped it in his mouth, the onion crunching juicily between his teeth as he chewed. Yu looked back to Nyras, eager for his own.

          Thankfully, the slices were handed out fairly quickly, and without hesitating, Yu bit into his own. The sharp flavor of the onion blended exceptionally well with the stronger taste of the cheese, and he sighed in bliss.

          “I don’t suppose this cheese has been pasteurized?” Naoto asked, lightly pulling a corner of the cheese up so she could give it an incredulous stare.

          “Huh? Is this another ‘technology’ thing?” Korval asked as he munched on his own slice, “It’s just cheese.”

          “Its good cheese,” Yu added, taking another bite.

          “It’s not polite to waste food after it’s been so kindly offered,” Rhysana put it.

          “That . . . I am well aware of that, and I didn’t mean to-,” Naoto’s defense fell silent as Rhysana laughed.

          “It’s okay, I was just teasing you! The cheese is perfectly fine, I promise,” the woman reassured her.

          “Ah . . . of course. My apologies. I shouldn’t be so guarded towards an offering like this,” Naoto said after a moment. She hesitated a second more, then leaned in and finally took a bite herself.

          Yu polished his off quickly, going so far as to lick the crumbs from his fingers to get every scrap. The sweet bread and the jerky had been satisfying, but this was the closest he’d come so far to something definitively normal. Now, if only he could have gotten his hands on some mayonnaise . . .

          “Is there anymore?” Teddie asked, looking eagerly for scraps.

          “We’ll have a proper meal once we reach Sedgeridge,” Nyras informed him, and Teddie’s face fell.

          There was a shout outside, followed by the sound of reigns snapping, and suddenly the caravan rocked forward as the horses began to walk. The road was bumpy, the caravan jostling them around with every uneven rut the wheels hit, and it wasn’t long before Yu started feeling uncomfortable.

          “Okay,” Yosuke said, looking discomfited, “Maybe this was a bad idea.”

          “It could be worse,” Yu said, trying to stay on his crate as the caravan pitched down sharply before rightening itself, “Okay, maybe it can’t . . .”

          “You made the choice,” Nyras reminded them, sitting poised on her crate but still looking a little uncomfortable.

          “Well, we still have a few miles to go, so you best get used to it,” Rhysana said, somehow managing to look radiant even with the harsh rocking, “But, since we have so much time . . .”

          She looked meaningfully at Nyras, “Mind filling me in on _what_ exactly the three of you have been up to?”

          “It is quite the story . . .” Nyras said.

          “You know how I feel about stories,” Rhysana replied smoothly, leaning back against the hull, “Now stop holding out on me. I’m _dying_ to know!”

          Rhysana listened patiently as they filled her in, nodding and only asking questions when necessary. Unfortunately, since none of them really knew _how_ they got here, their explanations felt broken. Even so, it took some time to tell it all, and by the end of it the light outside had tinged red, the sun dipping closer towards the horizon.

Still, once it was over, Rhysana smiled brightly, a gleam appearing in her eyes, “Now, that really _is_ quite a story! If only there was more to it, I could weave it into a ballad!”

          “I don’t think that would be wise,” Naoto said, “That sort of attention wouldn’t be beneficial in any way.”

          “Relax, I was just kidding!” Rhysana reassured her, “I know something like this requires some discretion. Don’t worry. A bard knows when to keep her mouth shut.”

          Yu’s ears perked up, “A bard?”

          Rhysana winked at him, “My trade, of course!” Realization flickered across her features, “Ah, but you wouldn’t necessarily know what that means, would you?”

          “A bard is . . . a singer, right?” Yukiko asked.

          Rhysana pointed at her, “That’s one branch of entertainment a bard can excel at, definitely! And, not to brag, but I’m pretty good at it!”

          “Ooh, you’re a singer just like Rise-chan!” Teddie pointed out excitedly.

          Interest sparked in Rhysana’s eyes, and she looked at Rise, “You’re a singer too? Ooh, now this is exciting! Tell me, what sort of ballads do you know? I‘d love to try for a duet!”

          Rise flushed as her other’s attention fell on her, “Um, yeah, I’m a singer. But I don’t think we really sing the same genre.”

         “That can’t stop us from learning!” Rhysana insisted, “True bards always look to improve their repertoire and skill! And I think it would be fun to learn about the kind of music your world has!”

         “Always trying to be better . . .” Unbidden, Rise smiled, “Yeah, I can agree with that. And . . . I guess it would be kind of fun to learn about the music here.”

        “That’s the spirit!” Rhysana cheered.

        “Perhaps you could save trading lyrical tastes when we’re in a less cramped environment,” Nyras suggested, looking more and more put off as the rocking continued.

         Korval chuckled softly before patting her on the knee, and Yu forced himself not to wince at both Teddie’s and Yosuke’s curious stares. Not to mention the wondering look and raised eyebrow from Naoto. Oh, please don’t figure anything out.

         Thankfully, Chie spoke up at exactly that moment, “So, can bards use magic? Tirin said that was what you were doing back there.”

         “Indeed I can,” Rhysana replied with a smile, “Bards are good at using music as a weapon. Magic is just one way to do it!”

         “Magic music, huh? Just one more thing . . .” Yosuke mumbled.

         “It sounds impressive,” Yu said, fingers clutching the ends of the crate to keep from slipping off.

         Rhysana tilted her head slightly his way, beaming with appreciation, “Thank you! Perhaps, when we reach the inn, I’ll give you all a little personal performance to show you just how magic my music can be!~”

         Everyone shifted awkwardly in their seats (save for Teddie, who just looked excited), and Yu felt heat rise to his cheeks. He was pretty sure the double entendre was not lost on the woman, especially seeing the amused smile on her face.

          Rise’s face flushed just a little deeper than the others, looking slightly mortified by her other’s bold toying.

          Then Rhysana was turning pointedly to the girl, smiling and speaking sweetly, “Would you like to perform with me, Rise? It’ll be lots fun!~”

          “U-uh . . .” Rise stuttered, looking flustered.

          “If you don’t like that, you can always dance with me instead!” Tirin piped up, smirking.

          Rise gave him a flat look, “Stop.”

          “Jesus Christ . . .” Yosuke mumbled, staring sidelong at Tirin, “You’re worse than Ted when it comes to flirting with girls . . .”

          Tirin crossed his arms, eyebrows going up as he looked at Yosuke with a small half-smile. Then,

          “Would you rather I flirt with you instead?”

          Yu stared, mind drawing up only a soft _. . . oh . . ._

          Yosuke’s face went red, “W-what?! D-d-dude, knock it off! Okay, its cool when Rhysana-san does it-I mean, it’s not cool, its-” Yosuke was tripping over himself now, “I-its not weird! That’s it! A-and why the hell would you even say that anyway, you’re _a guy!_ ”

          Tirin’s smile grew a little bigger, “ . . . I’m flexible. In more ways than-”

“No, _NO_ , stop talking!” Yosuke shouted, waving his arms spastically in front of his face and nearly falling off his crate. It was funny to watch, actually, funny enough Yu had to fight not to smile for his friend’s sake.

          “Whoa, watch where you’re kicking!” Chie snapped.

          “Uhh . . .” Kanji mumbled, cheeks tinting a little red as well.

          Rhysana lightly kicked Tirin’s leg, smiling despite her chiding words, “Leave him alone, Tirin.”

          “What, it’s funny!” Tirin said, holding up his hands.

          Nyras sighed, kneading a finger into her temple.    

          Teddie looked around curiously, not quite understanding why everyone was in such an uproar. Then, his puzzled gaze landed on Tirin, head tilting to the left as he asked, “Do you . . . try and score with boys too?”

          Buuut still knew enough to get the gist of Tirin’s actions. Oh boy . . .

          Tirin lifted an eyebrow, “What?”

          “No, don’t answer him! Teddie, stop asking questions!” Yosuke ordered, looking more and more mortified as the conversation went on.

          And finally, Yu couldn’t contain himself, “Well, at least he’ll stop asking you how to score with girls now.”

          Yosuke spent the next ten minutes with his face buried in his hands, too embarrassed to even look up.

          Ten minutes was all he had, because another chorus of shouts rose up from outside and the caravan slowly dragged to a stop, the harsh jostling growing still.

          “Finally,” Korval muttered, but it was Nyras who was throwing open the door first, cool fresh air drifting inside on a welcoming breeze. Blinking, Yu and the rest followed them out, stretching his legs as he looked to see where they were.

          The light was no longer as strong, the sun dipping below the horizon and streaking the sky red and gold. The hills around them and lost their tree covering, replaced by sedge and plots of reeds that grew around small, marshy bogs. The caravans had stopped near the edge of the road, the land sloping down into a small valley surrounded by hills. An inlet ran into the valley from the lake, surrounded by reeds and flushed green grasses. And nestled in the valley, surrounded by sedge groves, was a small town. Quaint cottages bordered the edge of the town, some scattered even farther out amongst the hills, thatched roofs and stone bodies belching out small clouds of smoke from indoors fireplaces. Stone pathways wound between the houses, bordered by low-laying grass and the occasional marshy pond. Further in, he could make out larger buildings of more sturdy make, and on the edge of the inlet he could see wooden piers occupied by numerous boats, some even farther out on the water with nets cast out into the waves.

         He knew immediately where they were without even having to ask.

        They’d finally arrived at Sedgeridge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Think I should slow down? :P
> 
> . . . Nah.
> 
> Hope you folks enjoyed Rhysana Tylvanni, in all her coquettish glory. Oh yeah, and is now a good time to mention I've kinda made Tirin a panromantic/pansexual sort of person? Because that's kind of what I've done.


	12. A Not-So-Quiet Town

          The quaint, cozy village was exactly like something out of the old fantasy books he used to read, and Yu felt a strange wave of nostalgia overcome him. What came alongside it was even stranger; a thrill of excitement that made him almost cave to the childish urge to run down and begin exploring everything. _Everything_ . . .

          "Wow, this place actually looks pretty nice!" Chie commented, smiling.

          "Didn't Korval-san mention there being an inn here? I wonder if the architecture's western oriented, or more eastern like ours," Yukiko hummed thoughtfully. 

          "I don't think the terms 'East' and 'West' really matter here, Yukiko-san," Yosuke said, "But it is better than caves, I'll give you that."

          "I wonder if its too much to hope for a hot spring," Rise added, toying with the curled ends of her hair as she were already contemplating a nice, steamy sauna to wash in.

          "They promised us baths," Yu said, "A failure to deliver would leave us no choice but to riot."

          "Uh, you sure you wanna riot against these guys, dude?" Yosuke questioned, pointedly glancing at the group behind them.

          Korval had taken the horses and was standing a little ways down the road they'd come, acting as a sentry-and a rather intimidating one at that-while Nyras and Rhysana talked to the head of the caravan in quiet voices. Tirin was perched on the edge of the last caravan, looking smug as he chatted up one of the caravan girls while idly tossing a knife around as if it were a baton. A really dangerous baton.

          Yu closed his eyes, "Point taken."

          "Come on, what are we waiting for?!" Teddie demanded, eyes glistening with excitement as he began to walk forward, "There's a whoooole new town down there waiting to be explored, and a whoooole lot of girls waiting to meet Teddie! Let's g- _egh!_ "

          His foot sunk deep into muck as he stepped off the road onto the hill, the reeds and tall grasses having hidden the marshy ground below. A shiver ran up Teddie's body and he stuck his arms up out of reflex, staying still as the stone as he whimpered, " _Eeeeew . . ._ "

          Yosuke sighed in resignation, "I should just accept that there's going to be nothing left of that outfit by the time we're out of this place . . . I really should."

          Teddie tried to pull his foot out, but the swampy mud held tight, and eventually the bear looked back at them with pleading eyes, "Help me."

          Kanji grunted in annoyance, but reached out anyway to help. With one hand, he grabbed the boy by the collar and pulled up, the mud squelching as his foot was pulled loose. Setting him back on the ground, Kanji said, "Next time, watch where your steppin'."

          "Ay . . ." Teddie said with a pout, cringing as he put weight on his foot and heard mud squash in his boot, "Eugh . . ."

          "Well, good thing we're getting baths soon," Rise commented.         

          A flurry of activity near the last ring of houses by the town's border caught Yu's attention, and he looked to see that a small contingent of men were marching away from the town. The sharp, steely glint that bounced off their bodies told him they were armored, and no doubt armed even if he couldn't see their weapons from this distance. They began to ascend up the hill right between the curving juncture of the one they stood on and the large knoll on their right, and as they came closer, Yu noticed that one of the caravan's men was in the lead.

          "The town gaurd," a voice said, and Yu glanced around to find that Rhysana had taken up a spot behind them. Her hood was drawn over her head again, but he could still see her smile, "They've come here to take the bandits to the bastille for transportation."

          "Transportation . . . ?" Yu asked, puzzled.

          "To Alvorod, the capital city of this particular kingdom," Rhysana explained, "There, they'll stand trail before the Queen, who'll supposedly pass judgment on them for their actions. If we're being honest about it, though, a case like this will most likely be passed down to one of the Commandants instead."

          "So I take it there's no judge and jury waiting for them when they get to wherever, is there?" Yosuke asked.

          Rhysana's eyebrows furrowed, "Hm? There's a court system waiting for them, if that's what you mean. Normally, the plaintiffs would be going along as well, but seeing as there's already a bounty out for these guys, there's no need."

          "Ah . . ."

          By now, the group of soldiers had arrived and were being led to the caravan where the bandits were being kept. The bound fugitives were ushered out, many of them glaring hotly at their captors with bared teeth and snarls. Others, however, just looked afraid.

          He noticed Nyras say a few last words to the man she was talking with before passing something into his hands. Something that glinted gold . . .

          The man stowed it away before Yu could accurately make out what it was, bowing reverently to the ranger before turning away and barking orders to the rest of the traders. As activity began to resurge, the knights started to move away with their prisoners, but not before many of them gave Nyras and the rest deferential nods and respectful words.

          "Is it just me . . . or do a lot of the people we see seem really amazed when they meet these guys?" Yosuke prompted as he looked on.

          "I've noticed that as well," Naoto said, "I don't know what they are saying, but it is obvious to any who look that they hold our counterparts in rather high regard."

          "You got anything to say about that?" Kanji asked bluntly, looking at Rhysana.

          Rhysana smiled mysteriously as she winked, "Oh, I'll let your imaginations run wild on this one."

          They were still looking put off as Nyras walked up to them with Tirin in toe, pushing a few flyaway strands of hair back into the recess's of her hood, "Well, now that that's taken care of, we can be on our way."

          Rise looked between Nyras and Rhysana, looking puzzled, "Why did you put your hoods on? It's not that cold."

          "I burn easy," was Rhysana's immediate reply. She said it so blandly, too, that it was heard for Yu to decide if she was being sarcastic or not.

          Nyras provided a more complete answer, "More than that, we'd rather avoid any inquiries as to why it appears we're traveling with a troupe of doppelgangers, no?"

          "Yeah, those would be good questions to avoid," Yu agreed.

          "Hey, we goin' or what?" Korval asked from where he stood, looking impatient.

          "Coming, Korval," Rhysana chimed sweetly, "Keep your tusks in."

          The half-orc grunted as he turned away, taking the horses with him.

          Nyras gestured for them to follow as she set out for the narrow gulch between the hills, Korval already leading the horses down. Thankfully, it looked like the ground was much firmer there, and Yu was glad they wouldn't have to wade through any mud just to get into town.

          "Heehee, stepped into the marsh, I see?"

          Tirin's chortling made him look back to see that the gloaming was walking next to Teddie, lips curled up into a teasing smirk as he laced his hands behind his head. Teddie hunkered down, looking defensive, "It was hard to see, okay? A perfectly innocent blunder that anyone could make!"

          Tirin grinned, "Oh, 'anyone could make', hm? I don't see anyone else with muddy feet."

          "Grr . . ." Teddie mock growled.

           Before he could make a comeback, Nyras interrupted him, "Tirin, up front! The less attention we draw to ourselves, the better."

          Tirin frowned, looking disappointed at begin torn away from his fun. But he did as she asked, as he walked by, Yu heard him mumble, "Too late for that, I think . . ."

          He was right. As they approached the first worn stones of the cobbled path, Yu could see a small crowd of people gathering along the sides of the road. Some stood on the edge of the small, half-finished fences that surrounded some of the houses to get a better view, while young children gathered in front of the adults, their eyes wide with wonder. Dogs barked at the heels of some of the people, their coats ragged and their paws caked with muck, but they wagged their tails energetically as they came near.

          The sloping of hill gradually petered out to flat land and the hard earth underfoot gave way to nodular stone, and as they began to pass by the first houses and the crowds, Yu began to see things with great more detail. The homes were very small, maybe twenty-by-twenty foot squares with a height of maybe fifteen. The outside walls were comprised of shoddily constructed stone 'bricks' that looked like they'd been plucked straight off the ground and hastily thrown to together in uneven clumps, the roofs made of a patchwork of wood and straw. Small windows lined the walls, most flung open to let in the evening air. The vast majority were empty, however, as most everyone was outside watching their procession. The men and women were dressed in patchy clothes obviously meant for work; for the men it was loosely cut tunics and trousers stuffed into their heavy, mud-crusted boots, while for the women it was long, simple dresses with aprons and head scarves. The children were all much the same, just in smaller sizes. All eyes were on the four armored figures up front, most barely sparing a glance for the ragged sortie of children tailing them, and all around, Yu could hear them whispering to one another, a sort of creepy background noise overshadowed by the barking canines and the occasional whinny from Bone.

          And then, seemingly out of nowhere, someone in the crowd started to cheer.

          Like a dam breaking, the sound swelled out until the whispering dissolved into a din of riotous noise as the onlookers took up the cry like a clarion call, cheering and clapping filling the once quiet air. Nyras, Korval, Rhysana and Tirin carried on as if it were little more than ordinary birdsong, but to his eyes, they seemed to carry their heads just a little higher than before. Yu shared a puzzled look with Yosuke, finding nothing in the brown-eyed boy's gaze save total confusion. The rest of his friends weren't too far behind in that regard.

          Except Teddie, who's eyes began to sparkle as he puffed up and grinned, "Now that's a greeting worthy of _moi_! Ladies, there's plenty of me to go around!~"

          Yosuke eyeballed him hard, "It's not you cheering for, dude . . ."

           "Uh, is anyone else kinda weirded out by this?" Kanji said, struggling to make himself heard.

          "Yeeeeah . . ." Chie murmured, voice nearly lost in the din.

          " . . . is it bad that this is weird for me in the totally opposite way? Like, I know it's not me they're clapping for and that's why it's odd?" Rise asked, looking awkward.

          "This . . . would be the sort of thing you'd used to, huh Rise-chan?" Yukiko said, folding her hands into her sleeves self-consciously.

          " . . . Risette's fans are what you would call 'highly energetic', if even half of the live performances aired on tv are to be believed . . ." Naoto put in, wincing as the noise somehow increased.

          Despite the noise, Rise smiled in pleasure, "Aw, you watch my live performances, Naoto-kun? That's sweet."

          A faint hue of scarlet crossed Naoto's cheeks, "Occasionally . . . if one airs while I am working or otherwise occupied, I never saw a reason to change the channel."

          "But were they ever _this_ energetic?" Yosuke asked, looking pointedly at the crowd, "These guys are acting like the just witnessed the second coming."

          "Maybe these guys are like celebrities here," Yu put in thoughtfully, "In some way, at least."

          "You really have to wonder for what, though, because I doubt its a singing career," Chie said.

          "Well, the armor is kinda telling me it was for something a lot different," Yosuke said.

          "Maybe . . ." Yukiko's eyes lit up in realization, a short gasp escaping her, "Maybe it has something to do with being heroes? Like in fairytales!"

          "Do you really think so?" Chie asked, looking hesitant to believe that, "I mean, all the cheering implies something, definitely, but real, fantasy heroes?"

          "Yeah, that does sound too good to be true . . ." Yosuke said, somewhat dismal.

          "But . . . perhaps not."

          Everyone turned to look at Naoto, who met their gazes with a thoughtful silence, "Us and they have our differences, obviously. And they most likely know nothing about personas or shadows, even if their world is full of magic. But that does not mean we do not have our similarities, either."

          "Tirin and Teddie, for example. Both of them are quite flamboyant, somewhat childish, and have an astonishing propensity to flirt with everything that moves," Naoto continued, "Korval and Kanji, as another, both share an aggressive streak that is tamed by an underlying sense of compassion, and have a willingness to stand at the forefront of a fight despite any disadvantage they may suffer."

          "So . . . what are you getting at?" Yosuke asked.

          "What I am saying is that these similar characteristics may not be the only things we share," Naoto told him, "It may be that they embarked upon a journey of their own at some point. After all, we once saved our world . . . who's to say they did not save theirs?"

          They stared at her, falling into a dumbstruck silence, because _holy shit_ , that actually made a lot of sense. The armor, the weapons, the all around enchanted world they lived in, it was all an unapologetically _perfect_ setup for such a tale. And looking at the way the four in front of them carried themselves amongst the cheers, like they'd heard it before and accepted it as it was, really ground that idea in.

          "A roaming band of heroes . . ." Kanji mumbled, "Holy crap . . ."

          "But for what? What'd they do? Oh man, why didn't we ask this before!" Chie demanded, looking to her friends as if they could fill her in as to why.

          "Glitz, fame, and fortune . . . wow . . ." Yosuke mumbled, lost in thought.

          All eyes fell on the figures ahead of them, a deeper sort of awe filling them this time. Oh, they'd been amazed by the things they could do before. But if that guess was true, then . . . whoa.

          Curiosity ate at Yu even as they reached the inner portion of the town, the small houses giving way to larger shops and buildings. The stonework became noticeably better, as did the pavement beneath their feet, and Yu found himself struggling to see everything as they walked.

         The road curved westward, and they ended up skirting the edge of docks, where fisherman of all shapes and sizes were swarming over the wooden piers like ants. Ships, both large and small and very old-fashioned, were in port, large nets full of fish being dropped onto the platforms where their slick, silver bodies would flop and twitch. Unwittingly, his stomach growled, mind falling back to the days (and nights) he’d spend fishing by the riverbed. He’d never really eaten the fish there, yeah, but he couldn’t help but wonder what the fish here tasted like.

         The road branched inward again, and the docks were left behind as they entered the central square of the town. The circular plaza was actually quite wide, with larger buildings running the entire circumference of the square. A fishery of some sort was on the right, set a little apart as the strong smell of fish wafted up from the open doors. The other shops (for shops they must be), had small signs hanging above their doors with pictures to tell what they were. He couldn’t see them from where he was, but he figured he’d find out soon enough. The opposite from them he could make out a particularly huge building, and he heard a heavy amount of activity through the windows, which were suffused with the orange glow of an internal fire. That must be the inn.

         At the center of the plaza was a large statue of a man standing at nine feet high, the marbled stone looking weathered by the passing of many years. His face was carved into a stoic stare, head uplifted with his foot braced against a fake rock. The definition of noble. He wondered who he was.

        “The founder of the town,” Rhysana answered his unspoken question.

        “This way,” Nyras said, walking around the ring of shops.

         The people who were milling about the plaza quickly skittered out of their path, leaving the way perpetually clear and easy to cross. Still, the constant adulation was starting to get overwhelming, even though he knew it wasn’t for him.

         They approached a smaller shop with two stories and a tiered wooden roof, the sign dangling above the open door swaying gently in the wind. The symbol of a sewing needle adorned the surface, the paint chipped and worn but still clearly legible.

         Rhysana spoke up then, “Alright, I trust you guys can handle yourselves here. I’ll go get things sorted at the inn.”

         With that, she broke away, every step a graceful sway as she made her way to said inn.

        “Aaand I’m going with her,” Tirin said, trotting after the woman.

         Nyras, surprisingly, made to follow, “I shall take the horses to the stables. I know you can take care of this.”

         With that, she left.

        “Come on, sooner we get this done, sooner we can head over ourselves,” Korval said, brusquely walking inside.

         They followed the man inside, finding the building surprisingly more cramped than he would have guessed. The interior was lined with all sorts of racks lined with different articles of clothing, from shirts to breeches to tunics and back. Near the back, a man with a short, scraggly beard and salt-and-pepper hair looked up from his sewing utensils, eyes looking huge behind the rims of his spectacles. His mouth fell open with shock, hurriedly scrabbling to rise in order to beckon them inside. His hand knocked against the underside of the desk in his haste, jarring the utensils laying across the table, and he shook his hand out in pain. Korval asked him something, but he quickly waved him down, smiling reassuringly.

       There was a sudden gasp to their left, and Yu looked to see that a young woman had appeared from within the numerous racks, eyes flying open as the load she was carrying fell to the floor. Her hair was long and brown, the same color as her eyes, her dress a soft shade of blue that stuck out amongst the more earthy colors of the rest of the clothes. She stared at Korval until the spectacled man made a sound, and she jolted and shot to the floor, hastily gathering the fallen clothes. The man then said something to Korval, sounding apologetic, but the big man merely waved him down.

      The man seemed to get over his shock after that, the pair talking quickly until the half-orc gestured to the group behind him. The man nodded before stepping up to them, politely gesturing for them to follow.

      “Go on,” he said said, “He’s going to get your measurements.”

       Ah . . . well, that was easy enough.

       It was exactly as easy as that, too. With the help of the girl (who he assumed was the man’s daughter) the man expertly gathered their measurements in quick time, writing them down for later use. As time went on, he noticed Korval doing the same. It went by fairly uneventfully, save for Teddie trying to hit on the girl only to receive puzzled looks in return.

      Once he was done, the man asked Korval a few more questions before nodding respectfully and saying something to the girl behind him. The girl nodded and, after bowing politely to their group, hastened to the back, where she disappeared. Korval then pulled out a small pouch, and Yu heard something metallic tinkling together as he shifted through the pouch. When he withdrew his hand, Yu’s eyes went wide when he saw the small, circular coins of pure gold resting in his hand.

      “Whoa . . .” everyone murmured in tandem.

      Yu could swear Korval’s lips twitched in amusement before counting out two coins and handing them to the tailor. After that, it seemed the business was concluded, for Korval and the tailor shook hands before the half-orc gestured for the door, “Right, we’re done here.”

      “Um . . . weren’t we supposed to get new clothes?” Rise asked, “And what about patching up our old ones?”

      “You’ll get the new ones in the morning. Man can only work so fast,” Korval said, “As for your old ones, I can patch those up just fine myself.”

       Silence. Then Kanji spoke, “You sew?”

       Korval rolled his eyes, the beginning of a growl sounding in his throat, “If you’re gonna say something like ‘orcs can’t sew’, I’m gonna-.”

      “No no no, I sew to!” Kanji interrupted, “I just didn’t know you did.”

       At this, Korval became noticeably more interested, “Really? Heh, so it’s a profession where you’re from too?”

       Kanji rubbed the back of his head, “Um, kinda? My Ma owns a textile shop back home. I picked it up from her.”

       Korval grinned, “Same here! What kinda stuff you make?”

       “Whatever I feel like, really,” Kanji replied, smiling in return. Both were looking more and more relaxed as they talked, and Yu felt good to know they’d found kindred spirits in each other.

       “Aw, they’re bonding,” Rise commented with a smile.

       “Shouldn’t really be surprised, huh?” Yosuke said, crossing his arms.

       There was a rustling by the door, and Yu turned around to see that Nyras had stepped inside again, “Korval, is everything alright in here?”

       “O-oh, yeah!” Korval looked sheepish, “Just got done, actually. Sorry if we worried ya. By the way . . .”

        He went to Nyras’ side and held something out to her, and Yu furrowed his eyebrows together when he noticed the slip of paper he’d written their measurements on.

        “Figured you’d want to get this over to the armory as quick as possible,” Korval said, “That way you can get at least a few decent sets sorted out by tomorrow.”

         Armory?

          Nyras smiled, accepting the note, “Excellent. Thank you, _lieling_.”

          Lieling . . . Yu _knew_ that that was a term of endearment in some way or another. It was a good thing no one actually knew what she was saying.

          . . . Even if it was quite adorable.

          “Tirin and Rhysana have booked several rooms for the night, and have requested that baths be prepared,” Nyras informed him, “So, if you will escort them to the inn, I will take this to the armory. I would hurry, however. They are already making a scene.”

          Korval grunted, “Yeah, they would,” his face softened a touch as he looked at her, “Right, see you at the inn later?”

          “Of course,” Nyras replied with a gentle nod. Then she turned and walked out the door.

          Korval gestured to them, “Come on, inn’s a’waitin’.”

          “Food!” Chie cheered.

          “Baths!” Rise cried elatedly.

          “Girls!” Teddie added in his own exuberant way.

          The walk to the inn was quick and painless and filled with gawking spectators, but Yu had come to expect that by now. The sound of rancorous cheering and hollers grew noticeably louder as they came closer, and Yu caught the whiff of cooking meats and vegetables. His stomach, along with everyone else’s, let out a long growl.

          “Oooh, that smells like meat!~” Chie said, salivating.

          Korval pushed the door open, and they could barely contain themselves as they stepped inside. It was surprisingly warm, heated by the large fire that roared in the brick fireplace in the northern wall and the numerous bodies that filled the room. The room itself was very large, maybe forty feet long and thirty feet deep, filled with wooden tables and chairs occupied by various groups of men and women. A large bar was situated on their right, an equally large man dutifully polishing a tankard as he made small talk with the patrons sitting in front of him. Maids wove between the crowds, smiling and serving out plates of food and full mugs of drink. The flat ceiling was crisscrossed with numerous support beams composed of thick oak wood, and on some of them Yu thought he could make out small knives embedded into the bottom rafters. Stairs rose up to the upper level on their left, the railings all ornately carved from wood. It was all so medieval fantasy it left Yu’s head reeling.

          As soon as they entered (or rather, as soon as Korval entered) the drinking people lifted their glasses and cheered, rosy faces filled with smiles and merriment.

          The half-orc held up a hand before moving on, walking towards the vey back where a larger crowd was gathered. A long table comprised of several smaller tables pushed together was situated there, and Yu could see both Rhysana and Tirin sitting upon it, laughing and talking with the people around them, a tankard in the gloaming’s hand and a wine glass in the bard’s. Several young men and women had gathered particularly close to them, vying for their attention, which they supplied on occasion. From where Yu was standing, the flirting didn’t seem very biased either.

          Korval pushed his way forward, barking something over the din. The people backed up, the ones gathered around the duo looking particularly disgruntled as they moved away. Tirin and Rhysana said something to them, waving farewell as Korval took a seat, setting his hammer down within arms reach. Without the group, the area became surprisingly secluded, no one coming close now that the three had sat down.

          “The baths are going to take some time to warm up, so you may as well sit down and eat,” Rhysana told them, gesturing to the empty chairs.

          Yu and the others did as she suggested, taking up positions around the table on small chairs of fairly sturdy make, the seats cushioned with small, built in pillows that were comfortably soft.

          No sooner had they sat down did a young maid come up to them, curtseying respectfully before asking them a question. They bandied back and forth for a moment when the maid suddenly turned to him, asking him something in that strange language he knew nothing about.

          “Uh . . .” he floundered, not knowing what to say.

          “What do you want to eat? Just tell us, and we’ll tell her,” Rhysana told him patiently.

          “Oh! Chie jumped, “Do they have any steak? Please tell me they have steak!”

          “Oh, they have steak,” Rhysana said, “How would you like it?”

          “Ooh, they do that here! Well-done please!” Chie shouted, so excited now she was practically hopping out of her seat.

          Rhysana smiled in amusement before turning to the maid, filling her in.

          “What about the rest of ya?” Korval asked.

          “Well, what do they have besides steak?” Yosuke asked.

          “Fish stew, fish fillet, cooked chicken, vegetable stew, baked potatoes, and pork,” Tirin listed, winking at the maid.

          Hm . . .

          “Fish fillet sounds good,” Yu decided, nodding.

          Yosuke, after a moment of pondering, said, “I’ll take the baked potatoes.”

          “Hm, I think I’ll go with the vegetable stew,” Yukiko said, though her voice was somewhat absentminded as her eyes continued to dart around the room in fascination.

          “I’ll take that too,” Rise said.

          “I will be satisfied with the cooked chicken,” Naoto said, looking uncomfortable with the amount of people present despite their relative seclusion.

          “Uh . . . how ‘bout pork?” Kanji mumbled. Then, with a punch more certainty, said, “Yeah, pork.”

          “Steak for me!” Teddie called out, sticking his hand in the air.

          Rhysana relayed all this information to the maid, who curtseyed again before leaving. Left alone, Yu began to become aware of the eyes that were still on them, people continuously glancing in their direction despite the noise.

          Yukiko, on the other hand, didn’t seem bothered at all. In fact, she looked quite excited, “This is the first time I’ve been at an inn without having to work! This is so exciting!”

          “You’re an innkeeper?” Rhysana questioned, looking intrigued.

          “Well, in training,” Yukiko said, “I’ve been catering to people at my family’s inn ever since I was little. It’s kind of nice to have the tables turned!”

          “I can imagine,” Rhysana said in agreement, “Although, I’m a little curious over what constitutes as an ‘inn’ in your world.”

          “Mostly like this, I guess,” Yukiko said, looking thoughtful, “But the architecture and thematic styles are totally different. Not to mention the food preparation.”

          “Ooh, sounds fascinating,” Rhysana said, taking a small sip of the dark red liquid in her glass.

          “If even half the servants are as lovely as you, Yukiko, I’d love to visit!” Tirin remarked casually, leaning back against his seat with a leg crossed over the other, the liquid in his tankard sloshing.

          “Um . . .”

          At that moment, another maid rushed to Korval’s side, holding out a large tankard of something to him. The man took it with a grateful nod before taking a long draught from the mug, sighing in bliss as he took it away. Holding it up to the group, he said, “Good ale.”

          “Whoa, so that’s real alcohol?” Kanji asked.

          Korval quirked an eyebrow at him, “Yeah, what else would it be?”

          “Um . . . well . . .”

          “Uh . . . are you sure it’s safe for you to be drinking that?” Yosuke was looking right at Rhysana and Tirin, who both looked somewhat offended.

          “I’m sure I’ve been craving a glass of good cabernet since I left Kennebrecht. Forgive me if I indulge,” Rhysana replied crisply.

          “And I’m sure I want mead. I’m not a little kid,” Tirin shot back just as quick, taking a pointed drink from his tankard when he was finished.

          “Okay, okay, sorry, forget I said anything!” Yosuke said, holding up his hands.

          “Well . . . Yosuke is not wrong to be worried,” Naoto put in softly.

           “Oh? Why’s that?” Rhysana asked.

          “Well, given how _some_ of our party acted after imbibing in non-alcoholic beverages, we have grounds to be concerned,” Naoto explained, voice flat.

          Yukiko, Rise, and Teddie all shifted awkwardly in their seats, looking slightly embarrassed.

          “Well, you don’t have to worry about us. Cross my heart!~” Rhysana swore with a smile.  The slight snort Korval gave made him doubt it.

          A sudden bout of cheering rose up from the front, and the crowd soon parted to reveal Nyras walking towards them, hood pulled tight and not turning her head at the cries around her.

          “Hi Nyras!” Tirin and Rhysana greeted in turn, holding up their glasses.

          She nodded in greeting as she took her seat next to Korval, folding her hands over the table as the maid came to her. A second servant, this one male, was following her, carrying several cups on a tray that he then passed out to the rest of them.

          Yu took the cup handed him with a look of confusion, taking a small sniff to see what it was. No scent . . .

          “It’s just water,” Rhysana told him.

          Yu nodded and took a sip, enjoying the coolness of the liquid as it surged down his throat. The others all took a drink as well.

          “Since you’re here . . .” Naoto began, looking at her counterpart, “There’s something I’ve been curious about.”

          “Ask,” Nyras responded.

          “I’ve been wondering this for some time now; why exactly is it only you who understands us? Everyone else we have met has made it quite obvious they do not speak our language, and I find it odd that you do,” Naoto said.

          “That’s something I’ve been wondering about too,” Yu said, “Unless you all come exclusively from someplace like Japan, it’s kind of a big coincidence.”

          “Ja-pan?” Korval mimicked, looking puzzled, “Is that where you come from?”

          “Yeah, that’s our home. I guess you could say its our ‘country of origin’,” Rise said.

          Nyras smiled, “Well, the answer to your question is very simple-,”

          “We’ve been using magic to talk to you!” Tirin interrupted her.

          “. . . You have magic that translates languages you’ve never heard of?” Yukiko asked.

          “To put it simply,” Nyras replied, shrugging off Tirin’s interruption, “Tirin happens to be in possession of Wand of Tongues, a spell that allows the recipient to speak and understand any spoken language clearly. It may be true that this ‘Japan’ of yours does not exist here, but it is still a language that can be interpreted and thus understood.”

          “I’ve had the thing for years, but this is the first time I’ve ever had to use it so much!” Tirin chipped in.

          “Although, we should probably find a more stable solution,” Nyras said.

          “In time, Nyras. For now, I think we’ll survive,” Rhysana said to her.

          “Man . . . wish we’d had something like that for English class . . .” Yosuke mumbled.

          “Hm,” Yu hummed thoughtfully, “So we really are just a bunch of foreigners. I wonder if we count as tourists . . .”

          “Uh . . .” Yosuke didn’t get a chance to finish, as right then the food came.

          And what food it was! His own fillet looked marvelous on its own; a lightly broiled fish covered in a pale, creamy sauce flecked with herbs, complimented with a side of cooked vegetables. The rest of the food offered a panorama of delectable smells, from Yosuke’s cheese-covered potatoes to Chie’s lightly marinated steak.

          Now, the utensils on the other hand . . .

          “Hm, western cutlery,” Naoto said as she picked up one of the silvered forks offered to her, “Interesting . . .”

          “Ooh, I haven’t used one of these in a while!” Rise said.

          “You’ve used these before?” Yosuke asked, looking skeptical.

          “Once. It was at a gimmick restaurant,” Rise said, “American-themed, I think.”

          “Yosuke, how do I use this?” Teddie asked, holding out the fork and nearly stabbing Yosuke in the eye.

          “Ah, watch it!”

          “ . . . You don’t know how to use a knife and fork?” Korval asked.

          “Well, it’s not that we don’t know the basics,” Yukiko explained, “It just it isn’t the common variety of cutlery we use in Japan.”

          “Well, it’s real simple!” Rhysana said. Holding her utensils out as an example, she said, “Just hold them like this, and everything else will come easily.”

          Of course, actually putting it into practice was different, but it wasn’t nearly so hard as some people made it out to be. Soon, they were all eating, and Yu felt his stomach gurgle in satisfaction as he took a bite into the fish. It was succulent and expertly cooked, and the sauce wasn’t so rich as to mask the flavor of the fish. The vegetables were just as good, lightly coated with garlic butter and crunching juicily between his teeth.

          So focused were he and his friends on eating the first proper meal they’d had in a while that no one spoke for the entire duration of the meal, save for the four companions who were speaking to each other in their own language. Perhaps they were catching up, or something along those lines. But other than that, the only sounds were hums of contented bliss as they neared the end of the meal, feeling properly full for the first time in days.

          “Good?” Rhysana prompted at the end.

          “Very,” Yu replied, leaning back with a satisfied sigh.

          “So, uh . . .” Yosuke started, “Mind telling us what the whole fanfare out there was?”

          “Well, it’s sort of a long story. It’d take the rest of the night to tell,” Rhysana replied, gesturing to the windows. With a start, Yu saw that it was nearly black outside, the sun having sunk beneath the horizon. The light was now all coming from interior candles and the fireplace. The only reason he hadn’t noticed the difference was because the noise hadn’t really subsided, the inn still as active as it had been when they’d first arrived.

          Another servant bustled by, politely nodding to the four before saying something to them. Then he hurried away.

          A bright smile appeared on Rhysana’s face, “Well, sounds like the baths are ready!”

          “Oh, finally!” Rise said, shooting up from her seat.

          Rhysana rose as well, “The baths are all located in your rooms. I’ll show you to them, if you like.”

          “That would be appreciated,” Naoto said, rising as well.

          Everyone rose as well, eagerly following the woman up the stairs.

(*)

          The clang of steely blades and shields echoed out over the mountainside, guttural challenges roaring louder than any avalanche on the snow-capped peaks. Between two such peaks lay a valley of stone and ice, and yet despite the harsh conditions and steadily falling snow, the ground teeming with the large, embattled figures of fighting orcs. The great, green-skinned brutes traded mock blows that verged on serious, cuts and bruises gathered between furious thrusts and jabs, the air alive with energy and crackling with anger. It was as it should be. If training sessions held no danger or chance for pain, then no lessons could be learned.

          Such was what their leader thought. He stood above them, a lone figure upon a craggy outcrop of stone that loomed over the valley, a perfect perch to oversee the mock battles. Heavy armor adorned his body, a rough, battle-scarred set of scale mail that held a strength that seemed unnatural. Blood red paint was spattered across the gauntlets and breastplate in the image of a clenched fist, the colors and symbol of his clan. His boots were lined with thick fur, and a pelt from a great snowy bear was wrapped over his shoulders like a grisly cape, the mouth of the beast forming a morbid helmet over his head. His hands rested on the pommel of a great, double-bladed axe, the visage of a screaming skull embedded in the haft between the two black blades. A great, ragged beard of black and gray spilled over his chest, tiny bits of bone tied into the thick strands, and a black eye patch was placed over his left eye, a long, thin, pale scar running down the left side of his face.

          The air shifted behind him, and his hands tensed in preparation for a battle.

          “Do not fear me, oh Eyeless One.”

          The orc curled his lip in disgust as he turned around, hefting his axe into his hands, voice a deep, rough baritone, “You have me pegged for a coward, wench? Back your words with blades, if you think you can insult me. You’ll learn I fear no demon.”

          The robed woman held up her hand, “Peace. I am only here to talk.”

          The orc scoffed, “Demons talk all the time, but you never mean your words. It is in your nature to trick and betray, for chaos runs through your blood.”

          “As it runs in yours, does it not? But then, that is not all that runs in your lineage, isn’t it?”

          The orc spat at her, veins bulging beneath his skin as she spoke, “What does a demon care for my lineage?”

          The woman smirked, “If you wish honesty, then I will tell you it is not I who cares at all. But you care, don’t you? You care very much.”

          The orc’s eyes narrowed, huffing, but he did not strike.

          “Listen to what I have to say to you, Grumack of the Ironfist, and perhaps you might finally have a solution to the problem that has plagued you for many years,” the woman promised with dulcet tones, “A way to rid yourself of the taint that runs in your line forever.”

          A gleam of thought entered the orc’s eyes, rage diminishing to a slow burn. Then, as the battling below reached a crescendo, Grumack lifted his chin and planted his axe into the rock, blade cracking the stone like an eggshell.

         “Speak, demon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter, but hopefully you guys won't mind that. :)
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the arrival in the I.Ts first town!
> 
> More to come soon.


	13. Reflections

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is very talky-talky between the I.T, just so you guys know.
> 
> Don't worry, things get more exciting next chapter! :)

_Baths are angels in inanimate form_ , Yu finally decided as he slipped a little deeper into the water. It was pleasantly warm and refreshing and relaxing, and it felt so _good_ to finally be rid of the dirty remnants of the Underdark. True, the iron-made bath itself was little uncomfortable to sit in, but at least it was large and allowed him to stretch out a bit beneath the warm, sudsy water. Even better, there were two small tubes of possibly animal hide laying just within arms reach on a small standing table next to him, which he'd come to find out held a mixture of lightly-scented oils that did wonders for his hair. This world's variation of shampoo, he figured. Occasionally, he would hear noise swell up from the floor below, but thankfully the wood was thick enough to mute most of it.

          It was a little odd to be taking a bath in the middle of the room he would later be sleeping in, but he couldn't exactly complain about it. Besides, Rhysana had told him it would be moved aside later once he was done. He also couldn't really complain about the servant who had come in to help him (which led to a whole mess of awkwardness as neither knew what the other was saying) despite Yu's discomfort over the fact that a total stranger had been in the room while he was naked. After all, the man most likely had just been following what was customary in this world.

          At least, he really, _really_ hoped that's what it was.

          But, now that he was left to his own devices and they were all _finally_ somewhere reasonably safe, it allowed him time to think. Really _think_ about all that had transpired, and all the strange, wondrous, and frightening things they'd encountered. Magic that ran as wildly and freely as the wind, mythical creatures that were no longer so mythical, and real live heroes (possibly) who shared their faces. It was boggling to the mind that just a few short days ago, had someone told him this would soon be his reality, he wouldn't have believed a single word they'd said. Barring the possibility of the tv world, as really, there was no telling what that place could conjure up.

          But this _was_ reality. Somehow, someway, they'd all winded up here.

          Idly, he wondered what the future would hold for them. Probably more magic, which was cool, and more towns like this, which was exciting. But . . . he also couldn't discount the possibility of running into another not-so-favorable encounter, one where a fight would be inevitable. And if it was a bad one, they'd more than likely need their counterparts help.

          _But what if they're not there?_

          The question made him shiver, for it spoke of very possible circumstance where they were alone. Without personas, all they could rely on was the fighting skills they'd learned in the tv world. But they were only self-taught, and in a world where every enemy had received real, actual training in the arts of killing others, that would put them at a sore disadvantage. Adding onto that, only several of them had practiced with weapons that could apply in a world like this. Yukiko's fan wouldn't do anything against a sword, Naoto had lost her gun, and Chie's legs, while undeniably strong, might have hard time against armored opponents without guards to protect her shins. It all spelled a recipe for pure disaster, and the only way to counteract it without getting themselves killed was . . .

          _We need to learn how to survive on our own_ , he realized. Not just how to build a campfire or find food, but how to properly wield a sword, how to treat wounds, wear armor . . . that was their best shot should the eventuality come where they only had themselves to rely on. But he couldn't just decide this on his own. The others needed to know too.

          By then, the water had started to become cold, so Yu clambered out and stepped onto the wooden floor beyond, water puddling at this feet. The room was very small, only ten feet in width, length and height. A small cot was pushed into the back left corner, and next to it was a small, two-drawer desk meant for holding a traveler's belongings pressed against the back wall. The single door was surprisingly heavy for it's size, and a large iron bolt was affixed to the top portion of the wood. The walls were all bare save for the window on the left wall overlooking the square and the plain curtains adorning it. A small wooden stool sat below it, perhaps meant for sitting so one could gaze out over the town on a clear day. The only light came from the candle resting on the desk as well as the twin candelabras affixed on either side of the door, shadows falling heavily in some corners of the room. He found with pleasant delight that towels had been laid out on the cot, an amenity that did, in fact, exist in this world. He also found a set of linen garments to wear in place of his old clothes, which were out being cleaned. A simple shirt and pair of pants made of dark brown cloth that were a little big on him, but that was nothing a few quick ties couldn't fix.

          A knock on the door made him turn his head.

          "Hey, Partner, you out yet?"

          Yu smiled at the sound of Yosuke's voice, "Yeah, I'm out. Dressed too."

          The door opened, and the brunette slipped inside before closing it behind him. The clothes on him were much the same, his headphones dangling around his neck while his wet hair stuck to his skin in places. There was a light flush to his cheeks, too, probably courtesy of the warm water.

          "They stuck the bath in the middle of your room too?" Yosuke asked, gesturing to the iron tub.

          Yu nodded, "Yeah, but that was common in eras like the fourteenth century. We should be thankful they didn't make us all use the same one."

          Yosuke grimaced at that, "Yeeeah, if someone had even mentioned that, Chie would have kicked me in the nuts out of reflex. But dude . . ." a more puzzled spark entered his eyes, "Does stuff like the fourteenth century even apply here? I mean, yeah, its all pretty medieval, but at the end of the day, this is a completely different world."

          "I'm just using a comparison that we can understand," Yu replied, sitting on the bed.

          "I guess I can see that . . ." Yosuke grimaced, "Even if history was never really my best subject . . ."

          Yu smiled at this, "Was any ever your best subject?"

          "Shut up," despite the words, Yosuke was smiling a little in return, eyes gleaming with humor, "We can't all be Mr. Perfect, can we?"

          "You're perfect in your own way," Yu said. Then he followed it up with a teasing smile, "Even if academia isn't one of them."

          "Yeah, let's not boost Yosuke's confidence _too_ much, that'd be just unthinkable," the brunette replied, smiling all the same.

          Yu just laughed, and the two fell into a comfortably familiar silence as Yosuke came to sit beside him. The sort of silence they'd used to share after a long conversation, both lapsing into quiet thought that needed no words to fill it. It had . . . felt like a really long time since they'd last been able to do this, even if realistically it had only been a few days.

          Yosuke let out a sudden sigh, and Yu turned his head, "What's wrong?"

          "Just . . ." Yosuke scratched the back of his head, taking time to put his thoughts into words, "Just everything. I mean, we're walking in a freaking fairytale world with magic, giant spiders, and even _dragons_! Hell, whatever we can think of when it comes to fantasy probably exists! And that's not even getting started on the fact that there's already a group of people living here who look exactly like us!" he sighed again, "It all just . . . feels like a dream. I keep feeling that if I close my eyes long enough, I'll open them again and I'll be back on my bed, none the wiser. But I know that won't happen, because that'd be way too easy."

          The boy lowered his head, worries tumbling freely from his lips, "The fact that none of us, not even our weird counterparts, have any idea how we got here makes me worry about how any of us our going to get home. If its even possible to get home . . ."

          "I get what you mean," Yu replied, "But regardless of that, we have to keep our heads up. If we stay together and think things through, I know we can figure out a solution to this problem. There was a way here, after all. There must be a way back."

          "You really think so . . . ?"

          Yu placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, "I know so. We've done what most people would consider impossible before, and we'll do it again. Together."

          Yosuke  remained still for a moment. Then he shook his head and looked up, smiling slightly, "Yeah, you're right. Being pessimistic never got us anywhere in the case, and it won't get us anywhere here. So long as all of us stick together, we'll figure something out. Sides, what does that say about me if I give up so easily?"

          "That's more like the Yosuke I know," Yu said happily.

          The other boy smiled, somewhat sheepishly, "Hey, someone has to play Second Banana. And besides, we're partners through thick and thin. Whatever happens, we stick with it to the end!"

          "Agreed," Yu replied with a nod and a smile. He held up his fist, and Yosuke lightly pressed his own against it, a reaffirmation of their bond and their unity. In the days to come, Yu imagined he would be relying on it heavily.

          Just then, the door flew open, and a bright voice called out, "SEN-SEIII!~"

          If Teddie actually had a point to make with his grandiose entrance, it fell short, as the bear ran right into the puddle still pooling in the middle of Yu's room. With a startled shriek, he slipped forward and landed flat on his back, the thud making Yu involuntarily wince.

          "Owie . . ."

          Yosuke sighed, "That's kinda what you get for barging in here without even knocking."

          "Oh, like you have any right to talk, Yosuke."

          Yu looked to see that both Chie and Yukiko were hovering in the threshold, the former looking pointedly at Yosuke while the latter was hiding a laugh behind the sleeve of her robe. Or, he guessed a more accurate description would be dress, one that followed a more western aesthetic. It was a simple light grey, possibly made from cotton and clearly meant for slumber. To his surprise, Chie was wearing one too.

          Yosuke turned to her, "Oh come on, Chie, give me a- . . . hey, are you wearing a dress?"

          Chie blushed, crossing her arms self-consciously over her chest, "Y-yeah, so what? It was the only thing they would give me, and no one understood me when I asked for something different! H-hey, eyes up here!"

          Yosuke attention snapped upward, holding up his hands, "S-sorry, it's just . . . weird seeing you in a dress, is all. N-not that it looks bad, I mean, for your body type, you actually look pretty good!"

          Digging that hole _real_ deep, Yosuke . . .

          Chie glared at him, stomping forward so she could snap in his face, "And just _what_ is that supposed to mean!?"

          Okay, maybe he should step in now before Yosuke ended up embedded into his wall, "He's just trying to compliment you. But he's Yosuke, you know how that usually ends up."

          "Gee, thanks Partner," Yosuke hissed, giving him a side-long glare.

          Chie stepped back, frowning, "Hm . . ."

          Yukiko finally stepped inside, giggling softly as she gave her friend a smile, "I think you look nice too, Chie."

          "O-oh, well . . ." the brunette girl blushed a bit, but smiled nevertheless, "Thanks Yukiko."

          "I think ALL the girls look nice!~"

          Ah, Teddie had recovered . . . and had thrown his arms across Yu's lap, but that was fine.

          Chie's lips pursed, "No one asked you."

          "Uh . . ."

          "Oh, just go in, Kanji, everyone else is doing it!"

          Yu looked to the door again to see Rise casually waltz in with her hands laced behind her back, wet hair pulled up and wrapped in the confines of a towel to keep it from dampening her dress. Kanji hovered behind her, looking mildly annoyed, "Tch, I just didn't wanna be rude . . ."

          He walked in regardless, scratching the back of his head, "Hey Senpai . . ."

          He waved back as Teddie stuck an arm in the air, smiling despite the fact that he'd nearly nailed Yu in the chin, "Hi Kanji! Hi Rise-chan!"

          "Is Naoto not with you?" Yu asked.

          "Uh, well . . ." Kanji glanced back, "I didn't see her . . ."

          Just then, a voice spoke up from around the corner, sounding unusually timid, "I am . . . here."

          Yu leaned back a bit, and could just make out Naoto's side from the angle he was at. She didn't seem like she was going to be coming in anytime soon, and he wondered if it had to do with the attire the other girls had to wear.

          "Uh, you coming in, Naoto?" Yosuke asked.

          "Yeah, stop being a stranger!" Rise chided.

          "I assure you, I am quite comfortable where I am and I can hear everyone perfectly fine."

          "You sure?" Kanji questioned, looking concerned, "I mean, ya don't sound very comfortable . . ."

          "She's just being shy," Rise said, "But, if she wants to stand out there where a bunch of strangers can see her, that's her choice."

          He was pretty sure he saw her stiffen. Then, after a moment of very strong hesitation, the girl finally maneuvered inside. He'd been right, she was wearing the same gown the other girls were, and looking mighty uncomfortable in it. Her arms were clamped tightly around her chest like she was trying very hard to keep something hidden, cheeks an interesting shade of red despite the forced composure on her face. She'd somehow managed to keep her hat with her, the article sitting in it's usual place on her head.

          "They forced ya into the same dress, huh?" Chie asked sympathetically.

          "Y-yes," Naoto swallowed back against the uncharacteristic stutter, "Any attempts to communicate my, um . . . disapproval, was met with failure."

          "Aw, but you look cute in it Naoto-kun!" Rise complimented kindly, walking up to her friend's side, "And if Yosuke or Teddie give you any trouble, we can just kick them out."

          "Hey, why just us?" Yosuke demanded.

          "Yeah, why just me?" Teddie demanded just as strongly, and Yosuke shot him an annoyed glance.

          "Because out of the guys most likely to cause trouble, it'd be you two," Chie stepped in, placing her hands on her hips.

          "The hot spring incident wishes to testify," Yukiko added.

          Yu slightly shook his head at the memory. That had been a night . . .

          "Huh? Kanji, what are you doing?" Teddie's questioning gaze led to the form of aforementioned boy, who had plunked himself down on the stool and was stubbornly looking out the window.  

          "Nothin'," Kanji replied tersely, shoulders tensing.

          Rise smiled knowingly, "Leave him alone, Teddie."

          "Guess everyone thought your room would be the best place to crash," Yosuke commented as everyone settled down.

          "Well duh, he's our leader!" Rise chimed in with a smile, planting herself on Yu's unoccupied side.

          "And, while we are together, it would be good to discuss what has transpired," Naoto added, taking a spot near the back.

          "What's there really to talk about? Chie asked, "I mean, we're here, there's . . . magic, and dragons, and  . . . _us_ -"

          "I wonder when we'll meet the others?" Yukiko mused thoughtfully to herself, "I'm really looking forward to it."

          "I don't know whether to look forward to it, or dread it, or be confused by it, it's just too weird," Yosuke confessed.

          "I'm still hoping she's a kung-fu master, whoever my counterpart is," Chie said with a smile.

          "Of course," Yosuke breathed.

          Below them, the sound of music began to play, and a familiar voice began to sing. It wasn't long before it was joined by others, the noise making the ground vibrate whenever it reached a loud crescendo before petering off again. But Rhysana's voice rang over all of them, an excited, angelical trill that uplifted and inspired, even from here.

          Teddie cupped his hands around his ears, elbows braced against Yu's legs as he hummed, "Ah,  Rhysana has the voice of seaborne siren whose stunning song echoes over the ocean and beyond, almost as beautiful as Risette's.~"

          "I wish," Rise interrupted him, "I'm good, but I'm not this good. I don't even know how she does it, but every time she sings, it's like everyone stops to listen. And she's so pretty, too! I didn't even know it was possible for a person to be that pretty!"

          "Given this world's more mystical 'trends', I'm willing to assume she has magic to aid her in that aspect," Naoto put in.

          Yu placed a hand on her shoulder, "And remember, maybe you look alike, but you are a different person at heart, with your own strengths and weaknesses. And personally, I think I'd still choose a concert put on by Rise than any other."

          Rise blushed, "Aw, Senpai, you know just what to say to perk a girl up.~"

          "I think that goes for all of us, and our counterparts too," Chie said.

          "Although, it would be an interesting exercise to discover those differences when they arise," Naoto said, "I . . . wouldn't mind learning more about it."

          Rise chuckled, "It's okay to say you want to get to know Nyras-san better!"

          Naoto shifted where she stood, "I simply feel an intellectual discourse with her would be . . . fascinating."

          Kanji spoke up then, "I wouldn't mind gettin' to know Korval better, too."

          Yosuke stared at him, " . . . is that because you found out he sewed?"

          Kanji shot him a glare, "What does sewin' have to do with it?!"

          "N-nothing, I just thought, you know, something for you to bond over or whatever," Yosuke said, leaning away from the angry teenager.

          "Hm, maybe . . . Rhysana and I could talk about music?" Rise mused, "Even from here, I can hear its really different from the style I use. I wonder if we could find a way to blend it."

          " . . . should I get to know Tirin better too?"

          Yu glanced down at Teddie, who looked uncharacteristically somber, "Do you want to?"

          The boy looked uncertain, "I don't know . . ."

          "You could talk about girls together, that's definitely something you both like," Yosuke prompted.

          Teddie shot him a look, "But we can't _talk_ about girls, we're supposed to compete for their affections with manly contests of charisma and strength!"

          "Sheesh, forget I said anything then . . ."

          "Well, there's gotta be other things you can talk about," Yukiko said, "Like . . . bears, maybe?"

          "I haven't heard Tirin mention bears even once while we've been together," Yosuke said, "It's sort of a godsend . . ."

          "Then how about . . . um . . . wow, I didn't think it'd be this hard coming up with topics the two of them could both like," Chie said, looking puzzled.

          Yu pursed his lips thoughtfully, "Maybe it has to do with their circumstances."

          Chie looked at him, "Huh?"

          "He has a point," Naoto said, "Out of all of us, Tirin is definitely the most markedly different. An outcome that may have to do with the fact that, unlike Teddie, he's lived a full life. He has gathered actual experience about the world and how it works like we have, and understands the nuances and intricacies at play within it. To put it simply, he has matured."

          Teddie looked noticeably downcast by this, "So does that mean we can't be friends . . . ?"

          "I wouldn't say that," Yu cut in, placing a hand on the boy's head, "Just because it looks at first glance that you don't have much in common doesn't mean you can't create a bond with that person."    

          "Yeah," Kanji said, "I mean, how many people would look at me and Yukiko-senpai and think we could become friends?"

          "Or me with someone like Naoto-kun?" Rise put in.

          "Hell, we're all odd pairs that most people would think wouldn't want anything to do with eachother," Yosuke added.

          "But we're friends regardless," Yu finished, "And remember, we've only known each other for a few days. There's still time to get to understand one another more, I'd wager."

          Teddie sat in thoughtful silence for few moments. Then he looked up, smiling, "I don't know about nunces or anything like that, but I want to learn more about Tirin too, just like ebearyone else!"

          "That's the spirit," Yu said with an approving smile.

          Rise suddenly leaned back, bed creaking as she braced her hands along the cot and looking wistful as she sighed, "Man, how long has it been since we last got to sit down together like this and just talk?"

          "Feels like its been ages, if I'm honest . . ." Yu said truthfully.

          "Yeah, same," Chie agreed.

          "Although, it's definitely different from our Headquarters . . . or anywhere, really," Yukiko put in.

          "Well, yeah, I mean . . . we're in a tavern . . . in . . . another world . . ." Yosuke shifted where he sat, looking uncomfortable.

          "How long have we even been here now?" Chie asked, "Almost four days, right?"

          "Just about," Yu said.

          "It feels longer . . . " Kanji said softly.

          " . . . would it . . ." Yukiko trailed off, looking uncertain she should finish.

          "What's the matter, Yukiko?" Chie asked, sensing her friend's distress.

          Yukiko lowered her eyes, "Would everyone back home have noticed we're gone?"

          Her question was met with silence. A long, unbroken, uncomfortable silence.

          Naoto was the first to speak, hand gripping the corner of her hat, "If . . . if both our world and this one's time belt align together, then most likely."

          "What do you mean by 'our world and this one's time align'?" Yosuke asked.

          "You mean like in the tv," Yu realized, sitting up straighter.

          Naoto nodded, somewhat stiffly, "Yes. Time flowed differently in the tv world than it did in ours. It could be that such a phenomenon is at work here as well."

          " . . . but," for the first time, Teddie spoke up, "But my world isn't like your world at all. Or this one. It's different. That's why it was all messed up in the first place."

          "But even if that whole time thing isn't the case, it's been almost four days. People are bound to have noticed that eight kids just up and disappeared by now," Yosuke put in, looking more and more discomfited as the conversation wore on.

          "And several of them were previously victims of the murder case last year," Naoto added dourly, "I have no doubt people will notice that as well."

          "You don't . . . really think people will believe another horror-story like that will really happen, will you?" Chie asked hesitantly, shifting from foot to foot.

          "Many humans, especially in such a connected, conspiracy driven society like ours, are spurred by the desire to make connections where there are none. And unfortunately, our sudden and inexplicable disappearances, so close together and with likely no clues or evidence left behind as to our whereabouts, bears a frightening resemblance to the criteria of the last kidnappings that took place in Inaba. I imagine that rumors have already taken root. And, possibly . . . that panic might already have started to spread," Naoto finished somberly.

          A dismal silence descended on them, and Yu's fingers tightened into the sheets of his cot. The real weight of their situation, not just what it meant for them, but also for the people they cared about, was finally dawning on them.

          He imagined Dojima and Nanako waking up in the morning, fully prepared to have one last hurrah together before he departed again only to find him already gone. And then, when the calls started coming in that others had vanished overnight as well, all of them his close friends, would be when the genuine worry- _fear_ -would set in. Dojima would put all his effort into finding out what had gone wrong, where they had disappeared to. And Nanako, poor Nanako, would stay up at night wondering where her Big Bro had gone, where _everyone_ had gone, and why they didn't tell her. And to have it happen so soon after the murders . . . they must be so scared . . .

          He just hoped Marie would keep the days bright and shining, even though she must have been worried too. Keeping the sun out . . . if only to provide some comfort that foul weather would not be the portent of death like it had been last year.

          "Ma . . . she's gonna be real worried by now . . ." Kanji mumbled.

          "I think . . . that goes without saying . . ." Yosuke said softly, "Mom and Dad . . . heh, I'm probably facing at least a month's pay dock."

          His weak attempt at humor fell on deaf ears.

          "I . . . I don't want to make them worry like that again . . ." Yukiko's voice hitched, "Not like last time . . ."

          Chie took her friend's hand as if on impulse, and Yukiko squeezed back as she struggled to reign in her tears. Heads remained bowed, and no one spoke.

          That was when the door swung open and a shadow waltzed in.

          "He-llo, everybody, Rhysana wanted me to come and check o-wow, it looks like I walked in at a bad time!" Tirin stopped walking, one leg suspended above the floor where he'd been meaning to set it as he beheld the gloomy faces in the room. Without turning around, he thumbed at the door, "Maybe I should come back later?"

          Yu stood up, shaking his head, "It's fine, we were just-" he glanced at his friends, "Talking."

          "Mhm, about rothlings and glowstones, by the looks of it," Tirin commented, setting his foot down and crossing his arms. He waved a dismissive hand at the questioning stares, "Underdark expression."

          "It doesn't matter," Yu said, trying to sound reassuring, "Everyone's good up here. The baths were wonderful."

          Tirin leaned back against the doorframe and gave them a quiet stare, as if he were sizing up the truthfulness of his words. Then,

          "Hey, you're alive, right?"

          The question caught him-and everyone else-off guard.

          "Well, yeah, we're alive, what else would we be?" Yosuke asked, looking puzzled.

          "Then stop being so down!" Tirin replied as if it were the simplest thing in the world, smiling, "You're alive, which means you can survive and do something about your situation! Maybe it'll take some time, sure, but you can do it. You got people waiting for you, right? So chins up!"

          Everyone stared at the man, as if they were befuddled by what he had said. But then, Yu felt the melancholy fog slowly start to lift.

          " . . . huh . . . never thought I'd be hearing a motivational speech from someone who looks like Teddie . . ." Chie murmured.

          "Still, he's kinda right. Hell, weren't you and I just talking about how being pessimistic wouldn't get us anywhere?" a spark of humor, real humor, retuned to Yosuke's eyes as he turned to Yu, "We can't do anything about this except keep going forward. So, let's keep our heads up."

          Rise managed a giggle, "Hey, Yosuke's mature side is making a rare appearance."

          "H-hey, its not rare," Yosuke defended, "I'm mature . . . most of the time."

          "Ha, now there's a joke that actually makes me laugh," Chie teased, smiling.

          "Still, Yosuke's got a point," Rise said, "We're stuck here, that's true, but we can find a way back! For everyone at home, we've got to!"

          Yukiko nodded, "Mm. My family, the inn, Inaba . . . I won't make them wait any longer than they have too."

          "Hell yeah!" Kanji said with a sharp nod and a fiery grin, "We never got anythin' done by mopin' around! Now let's get out asses in gear and go!"

          In the corner, Naoto allowed a small smile to come to her face, "That is the spirit that made our team so strong to begin with. And we need that now more than ever."

          "Agreed," Yu said, rising to his feet, "We'll work through this together. And together, we'll get home."

          Nods and cheers of agreement were made, and amidst the noise, Yu almost missed it as Tirin started to move away, a self-satisfied smile on his face, "And my work here is done!~"

          "Hey!" Yu called out to him, "Thanks for that."

          Tirin waved nonchalantly at him, "Lifting the spirits of fair young maidens, and in this case men, is what I do best!"

          Behind him, he heard Rise speak up, "Will you be okay in the morning? I mean, when we got up here you were having a pretty hard time with the sun."

          "Oh, is that concern for me, dear Rise? Such sweet words from one as lovely as you makes my spirit soar!" Tirin then dropped the suave act to answer a bit more honestly, "But really, don't worry so much! It's really only the first day that's bad, the rest is a breeze! Although, it can still get annoying at times . . ."

          Glancing behind him, Yu spoke, "Don't you have something you want to say, Ted?"

          At first, the blonde just looked at him with confusion. Then he jumped up as startled realization hit, "Oh yeah!"

          He looked at the man standing in the doorway before ushering forward slightly, tweedling his fingers together, "Uh . . ."

          Tirin cocked his head to the side, eyebrow quirked, "Hm?"

          "Um . . . about this morning," Teddie started, "I want to say sorry. I was kinda being a bit of a mean bear."

          Tirin gave him a long stare, the room silent as he waited for him to speak.

          But, instead of doing that, the man lifted a hand and flicked the other boy in the forehead. Teddie yelped, more in surprise than pain, hands going up to the assaulted spot, "Hey-!"

          "You're still hung up about that?" Tirin cut him off with a grin, "It's done now and it wasn't like anything really happened. Water under the bridge!"

          "R- . . . really?" Teddie questioned.

          "Sure! Besides," I teasing leer appeared on Tirin's face, "Real bears are a lot meaner. Not to mention more intimidating."

          Teddie took offense to this, "Hey, I can be intimidating!"

          "I beg to differ."

          "Gr, that's just what you think! Who made you the expert on bears anyway?"

          "Oh, I now about bears, trust me. Deep bears especially."

          As the arguing continued, Yosuke sighed, "Well, there you have it. They can bond over who can be the most annoying."

          "It's a start," Yu said.

          "-I'll prove it! I'll prove I'm the most grizzliest grizzly to ever walk two worlds!" Teddie declared.

          "Mhm, I'm sure that'll be a sight to-" all at once, Tirin stopped talking, "Ah!"

          The man's entire body tensed as his eyes grew wide, the glow to his skin brightening suddenly as if something had just startled him. Without uttering a single explanation, he shot to the window in Yu's room, not even sparing a glance at Kanji as he stared out into the darkness beyond. The glass was rattling, the wind having picked up a significant degree since nightfall. But other than that, Yu couldn't see anything save the dimly lit square and the shadows of a few people as they meandered their way home.

          " . . . Tirin-san, what-?" Yukiko didn't get to finish her question as Tirin suddenly bolted back for the door, pointing at them before swinging it shut, "Stay inside!"

          They were left staring in open confusion at the man's sudden retreat.

          "What . . . just happened?" Rise asked.

          Yu didn't have an answer for her, everything happening so fast his head was spinning.

          That was when Kanji spoke, voice uncharacteristically meek as if he were afraid to speak any louder than that, " . . . guys . . . you might wanna see this . . ."

          Growing alarmed, Yu and the others went to his side, vying for space around the window as they clambered to look outside.

          At first, nothing seemed different save for the wind that continued to gather speed, buffeting the glass and whipping up the straw from the shops around them. But then, he noticed something different. Something black, a void rippling and undulating in the shadows above the square right near its heart, like it were alive. It pulsed once, seeming to grow larger, flecks of red skittering across it's surface like sparks across steel.

          "What is-?"

          He never got to finish, for suddenly the thing burst in flash of red light and a jagged rip tore the air asunder, like a great claw leaving it's mark in the sky. The edges glowed like the charred ends of burning paper, cinders falling from the hole like leaves from an aging tree. He heard people scream and saw them start to flee, dropping their goods in their haste to escape.

          A good thing they did, because only a second later did something step out.

          It was massive, looming well over fifteen feet tall, it's bulbous body rippling with muscle. The light bounced off a hide the color of a blackened bruise, ebony spikes jutting out of the back of a greatly stooped spine. Four arms jutted out from it's side, the largest drooping heavily and dragging along the ground, ending in massive pincers that clacked together in expectation. The second pair was much smaller, protruding out under the armpits of the first set. But they ended in three wicked talons that looked like they could rip apart flesh easily, twitching sporadically as if they had a mind of their own. It's bestial legs looked too small to support the massive torso of the creature, but they held it up strong and steady, as if in defiance of it's own musculature. Two sets of huge horns curled up from it's sloping skull, it's face a cavernous mouth lined with needle-sharp teeth, a squashed nose, and a pair of eyes the color of chalk that gleamed brightly in the dark, shining with a terrifying mix of intelligence and cruelty.

          Taking one step forward, taloned foot crushing the stone beneath it to dust, it opened it's mouth and roared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you things would get more exciting. :)


	14. A Fiend's Night

          Yu stared in stupefied horror as the creature let loose a second guttural roar, the tip of it's pincers chipping away the stone at it's feet. Around them, the candles flickered ominously, some even going out as if the sheer presence of this creature was too much for them, plummeting the room into a deeper darkness than before.

          "W-w-what is that . . . " Yosuke's voice was barely above a whisper, hands clutching the sill tightly, as if letting go meant falling.

          No one answered him, words frozen in the backs of their throats as they beheld the horror that had suddenly appeared in the middle of the town square. It wasn't a Shadow. Whatever this _thing_ was, it wasn't a Shadow! Barring Teddie, Shadows were mindless creatures, fragments of egos driven by instinct and the desire to make themselves whole. But no Shadow anywhere had true conscious. No Shadow anywhere could claim to know or understand vice or virtue.

          But this thing . . . this thing exuded pure _evil_. A malice so potent it choked the air, so visceral it felt _alive_. This creature knew it was a monster through and through, and it was completely unapologetic about it. He genuinely feared to know just how far this monster could sink in depravity. How far it would go in it's cruelty until it was satisfied, if satisfaction was something it ever felt. And what in God's name would it do to a small village like this?

          His heart pounded in his chest, true fright filling him as he beheld the monster standing in the square. When it's blank white eyes passed over their window, it took everything in his power not to quail and scream.

          The portal behind it rippled like a heat wave, and they could only watch in silent terror as a second monster just like the first emerged, joining it's vile kin in the square. To his amazement it _spoke_ , a greeting of some sort spoken in a harsh language that sent shivers down Yu's spine. The portal then twisted in on itself like a rubber band and snapped closed, disappearing like a shadow in the night.

          That was when another roar filled the night, but not from the monsters. Below them, Yu saw the heavily armored figure of Korval streak from the tavern door, hammer up and charging at the two fearlessly. Two other shadows slipped around the sides, skirting the edges of the shops as Korval distracted the creatures. One was Tirin, who was only visible for a few brief moments before slipping into the darkness, and the other was Nyras, the silver tips of her crossbow glinting as she moved. Rhysana stayed near the inn, strumming a tune on her harp as her voice rose to join it, a sonnet that swelled with power and made Yu's heart race with something other than fear.

          The first creature roared again and lashed out with a pincer, the attack only grazing the edge of Korval's left pauldron. Before it could swing again, Korval's hammer crashed into it's sternum, the creature stumbling back a step as a piece of splintered bone erupted out of it's side. It didn't seem to care, merely going in again, attacking with it's smaller claws in quick succession. One missed, but the other caught Korval in the jaw, taloned tips tearing through his skin like wet paper. It then leaned in, sharpened teeth crunching on the vambrace of Korval's arm before pulling back. Korval barely seemed to register it, hefting his hammer again despite the dents in his armor that dug into his skin and slamming it into the monster's shoulder.

          It's partner stepped in to help it, only to shriek as three golden bolts hit it directly in the face. One hit it's eye, the sharpened head puncturing the organ and releasing copious amounts of blood that spurted over it's monstrous face. At the same moment, Tirin appeared behind it. Using it's spines like a ladder, he scaled up the creature's back and stabbed a dagger right into the juncture between it's head and back, black blood spurting through the air in a malodorous cloud. With a scream of anger, and a surprising amount of dexterity, the monster reached around with giant pincer and grabbed Tirin by the waist, ripping him off it's back with one violent pull.

          Yu felt his heart seize up, breath catching as he watched as the creature threw the gloaming into the stone hard. For one painfully long moment, he lay frightfully still as the creature made to strike down at his prone form. Then, out of the darkness, the familiar shadowy shape of Xirskam materialized and jumped onto it's turned back, claws digging into the hide. The monster reeled around, lashing out with a pincer that struck the shade in the chest, knocking him back. But that seemed to be the plan, because that was when Tirin smoothly rolled back onto his feet, now flanking the creature from behind. Together, the two attacked as golden bolt sailed over their head, lodging into the creature's stooped back.

          Meanwhile, the first monster Korval had engaged pressed it's own assault, lashing out with both pincers in an attempt to skewer him. Korval just got his hammer up in time, pincers catching on the haft of his hammer and stopping the lethal tips a mere inch from his face. But the monster's dactyl's clamped down on the length, locking them both in a grapple and pushing down in an effort to throw Korval off balance with it's greater size. The half-orc held his ground, muscles straining as he pushed back, the sound of Rhysana's song rising even higher and more poignantly. Several other bolts flew, some sticking into the monster's arms and one in it's shoulder while the rest bounced off it's hide.

          All of a sudden, a miasma the color of charcoal began to bleed from the hides of both creatures, the cloying cloud oozing over the stone floor like a thick, oily mist. It spread out over a range of forty feet, catching everyone except Rhysana in it's clutches, and whatever the foul mist was made of, Yu could see that it wasn't pleasant. Nyras covered a portion of her face with the back of an arm, cringing in noticeable pain but shaking off the worst of the assault to take another shot, the fire in her eyes burning even more acutely. Korval's knee nearly buckled, but he rightened himself at the last minute before the monster he was fighting could bowl him over. Tirin seemed to get it the worst, limbs becoming noticeably more wobbly as the two unified attacks hit, looking sickened by the fetid fog even as the last of the fumes dissipated. He barely avoided a pincer strike from the monster he was facing, but it's claws nailed him both times, one digging deep into his armor while the other tore at the bare flesh of his arm.

          Below them, the tune and tempo of Rhysana's song suddenly changed, losing it's faster rhythm and being replaced with a more soothing melody. The soft, lulling words washed over them all like a lyrical balm, cool and calming and so very sweet.

          A true magic was laced within the melody of her song, because the gentle sound seemed to lessen the afflictions on the others, the sickness brought by the greasy miasma lifting. At the same moment, a ruckus of noise came from further down the road leading to the docks, and Yu saw that a small platoon of soldiers were running forward in a controlled line, about twenty strong with swords drawn and shields up. Nyras shouted something to them, gesturing sharply to them as if telling them to leave, but they paid her no heed.

          The second monster noticed their approach, and with one slash of it's pincer, it rent a hole in the air as if it were made of cloth. Then, to Yu's horror, two other monsters emerged.

          They were much smaller than the other two, but that didn't make them any less terrifying. In shape they resembled very tall humanoids, but the black, scraggly wings erupting from their backs and their vulture-like heads betrayed them as anything but. Their long, gangly arms end in hands capped by four wicked claws, their clacking beaks bearing a serrated edge like that of a saw. A long, sinuous tail flicked over the stone beneath them, and their heads twitched and jerked as they sized up their prey with a pair of deeply set red eyes.

          Then they screeched.

          Yu clamped his hands over his ears as the sheer volume bore into his skull like a blunted chisel, the pane trembling before a giant crack rent the window in two. Several of the soldiers stumbled and tripped, stunned by the noise, and the troop was left staggering as it tried to reorient itself. That was when the creatures fell upon them.

          It was a chaotic mess of shouting and flailing swords, sounds that just as suddenly gave way to screams as the vulture-like beasts savagely tore into the unprepared regiment. Yu saw blood paint the ground in dark, sweeping stains, and then no more as he tore his eyes away from the grisly scene, swallowing back bile. He caught glimpses of his friends faces, all wearing the same mask of appalled horror; Kanji with his hand clamped over his mouth, the other clutching the sill in a white-knuckled grip, Yosuke with his eyes closed, face turned away and pinched with distraught anger, Rise with her back pressed to the wall, teary-eyed and lips pursed tightly to stop herself from screaming along with them . . .

          He heard Korval roar in anger, the cry punctuated by a wet crunch that made Yu look out again. Korval had freed his hammer, the blunt edge of which had left crack in his enemy's skull, the hide torn as ichor splashed over the hammer's haft, the blood having slicked Korval's gauntlets even as he pulled away. He swung again, this one fueled by a potent rage that lent power to his strike, and the blunt edge of the hammer hit the creature in the head again. This time, it split entirely, bits of shattered bone and brain matter oozing through the wounds in a chunky slop. He didn't stop, swinging a third and final time with enough strength to crush the left half if it's face in completely, blood spraying out in a viscous cloud that spattered over the ground and over Korval. But that was it. With a groaning creak, the monster toppled over, pincer catching against the statue at he heart of the town. The stone cracked underneath it, taking away the arm and a portion of the man's chest in it's collapse. Then the monster's body dissolved into a sooty cloud of ash that vanished into the night sky, the only sign of it's presence the broken stone that littered the square's heart. Nearby, Tirin rolled under the feet of his own opponent, dodging it's irate swings as Xirskam took another chunk off it's side. Growling, the creature turned and bit into the incorporeal creature's shoulder, teeth gnawing against the shadows. Tirin barked something, and Xirskam vanished in shadow, pulling out of the fight. At the same time, Tirin pointed at the monster, lips moving, reciting something Yu couldn't hear.

          Shadows rose around him, warping up to his hand before coalescing into a tiny orb at the tip of his finger. The next moment, that orb inexplicably exploded into a shower of tiny, scintillating shards, each thin sliver as sharp and sturdy as a diamond. The shower breached out into a wide cone, and the monster was caught right in the middle of onslaught. The slivers tore into every portion of visible hide, tiny shards embedding themselves deep into it's suddenly vulnerable flesh. By the time the burst had ended, the monster was little more than a pincushion of shimmering shards, it's body dissolving into a sizzling pool of acid that sunk into the stones soon after.

          While that was happening, Nyras gave a sharp, strident whistle, running towards the beleaguered regiment while pulling a small flask out of her pouch and pulling out the stopper with her teeth. A high whinny answered her call, and Yu heard the distinct sound of breaking wood before two other shapes appeared from the leftmost side of the inn. Bone and Aira.

          Bone charged headlong into the fray, leaping over a fallen soldier to stand fearlessly before one of the vulture demons, his flailing hooves bludgeoning hard into one of the creatures sides. Aira, meanwhile, swooped next to her master, who quickly hauled herself onto the horse's bare back with ease. The two then charged ahead, Nyras holding up the flask she carried and throwing it as they ran in close. Preoccupied as they were with Bone, the two monsters failed to notice in time.

          The flask exploded in a halo of brilliant light, the square, the buildings, everything becoming casted under a layer of white. The creatures reeled away from the flare, screeching in agony, but everyone else looked completely unaffected by it. Freed from the attack, the troops were given time to fall back and drag their wounded away from the fight as Nyras and Aira turned back to their enemies.

          Nyras had a dagger in her hand, one they had not seen on her person before, the blade gleaming sterling silver in the lamplight. Aira, seemingly not needing any instructions, ran until the two nearly brushed sides with one of the creatures, both still dazzled by the blinding light from before. In perfect sync with her mount's movements, Nyras held the dagger out and jammed into one of monster's throat's as they ran passed.

          The dagger flared a brilliant white, a light that seemed to perforate the creature from within. It screamed, gurgling on it's own blood as the light engulfed it completely, and when it faded, all that was left was the silver dagger laying in puddle on the ground. Whether it was water or blood, Yu did not wish to know.

          The last creature had recovered by now, but seeing itself greatly outnumbered and alone, it took a step back. Then it suddenly disappeared.

          With the battle over, the square fell deathly silent and still, as if the world itself were afraid to disturb it.

          "Is . . . is it over?" Rise asked, not having moved from her place on the wall.

          Yu forced himself to swallow, mouth feeling like it were made of sandpaper, "Y- . . . yeah. It's over. They won."

          Rise nodded, but didn't move.

          "What . . . what the hell were those things?" Chie asked, her voice soft and sounding strained by tears. She looked profoundly disturbed, pointedly not looking at where the bodies lay. Yukiko had rested her head against her friend's shoulder, a hand over her mouth and a few frail tears slipping down her cheeks. Their hands were clasped together, squeezing tight to hold on to whatever comfort they could find.

          No one answered her. No one could.

          The spell of stillness broke when Rhysana ran ahead, stooping beside the bodies of still soldiers with Tirin at her side. Still soldiers . . . _dead_ soldiers, he realized. This was not the first time they'd encountered death, but never had any of them actually seen a dead body proper. Let alone ones so . . . so _torn_ and _bloody_ and _broken_ . . .

          His lower lip involuntarily trembled as his heart gave a sharp pang, and he looked away again.

          "We should have done something . . ." Yosuke murmured, his stare a guilty one, "Then maybe they . . ."

          "No," Naoto said, the only one who looked the most outwardly calm. But her voice held a slight tremor, and her face was drawn with sadness, "If we had interfered . . . we would have only died too. I'm sure of that . . ."

          Yosuke bowed his head, but said nothing more.

          Nyras, meanwhile, had dismounted Aira and marched to the regiment, barking orders he couldn't understand. There was a harshness in her voice that wasn't usually present, a tremble of anger lacing every word. The soldiers nodded before rounding up the ones who could still walk and setting off down the alleyways and the streets, vanishing from sight. But even as they left, the tightness in her stance didn't lessen, snatching her dagger up with more force than he thought necessary. Korval came up to her, Bone at his side, and it was only when he placed a hand on her shoulder that she relaxed.

          Somewhat.

          Shapes began to appear on the fringes of the lamplight, and Yu saw that some of the townspeople had crept back out into the open. There was stillness for a moment, as if no one knew what to say or do. That is, until one of the crowd suddenly broke away, a despondent wail flying from her lips as she collapsed next to one of the bodies. Her hands grabbed at his breastplate, still wailing as she pressed her face against the rent and blood-soaked armor. The sound tore at Yu's heartstrings.

          Others gathered around, some offering condolences, others whispering gratitude to Rhysana and Tirin, while still others began to gather provisions to carry the bodies away. They didn't get to do so for long, as Nyras appeared next to them, speaking urgently before gesturing to the inn. With nods of farewell, the two followed the ranger back inside.

          It was as if a collective breath was released, for everyone moved away from the window then at the exact same time, not wishing to observe the mourning and blood outside. The sound of sobbing continued to echo through the glass, made more prominent by the crack that now marred its surface. So shaken was he that it took him a moment to realize that the quiet sobbing was also a little closer to home.

          Teddie was sitting beneath the window, his back to the wall and his hands clamped tight over his ears as if the battle was still raging for him. His face was buried in his knees, and he hiccupped softly as his shoulders quivered.

          "Ted . . ." Yosuke murmured.

          Yu knelt down, placing a gentle, consoling hand on the boy's knee, speaking as softly as he could, "Hey . . . it's over now, Teddie. They're gone. Everyone's alright."

          Teddie shook his head violently at that, but didn't speak, or even whisper. To Yu, that was more disturbing than noise.

          "Teddie-"

          A knock on the door distracted him.

          "It's me," the sound of Rhysana's voice echoed from the other side of the door, "Can you let me in please?"

          Yu glanced at his friends, who only stared back until Naoto went and undid the bolt. With a click, the door swung inward, and Rhysana made her way inside. Her face was somber, eyes filling with a melancholy regret as she took in the ring of downcast and sullen faces.

          Rhysana lowered her eyes, "I'm sorry. You shouldn't have seen that."

          "What . . . just what the hell were those things?" Kanji demanded, "What the hell was any of that out there?!"

          Rhysana seemed hesitant to answer.

          To his surprise, it was another voice that spoke in her place, Nyras pushing inside as well, "Those were demons. A pair of Glabrezu and Vrocks, to be precise. Powerful demons, to be sure. We're lucky we got away with as few causalities as we did."

          Her voice was unusually cold and to-the-point, yet her eyes seemed to burn with an inner fire as hot as any brand. She also seemed to be looking passed them rather than at them, like she was examining something only her mind could see.

          Shock settled around him, shock that slowly melted into a somber acceptance. For what other name fit to those creatures that attacked but the name 'demon'. The fact that those creatures could have done even _more_ damage had their counterparts not been here . . . the thought made him sick.

          Rhysana glared at the other woman, saying something in her tongue with a brush of annoyance clipping through. She nodded her head pointedly in their direction, then fell silent. Nyras finally seemed to notice the scared and worried faces around her, for her gaze focused and the fire in her eyes dimmed, "Ah . . . I'm sorry. I forget that this is your first time ever witnessing something like this. I should treat that with the delicacy it deserves."

          "Will there . . . will there be more?" Rise asked softly, but her eyes were focused on Teddie, who still hadn't risen from his spot. Yosuke had taken a seat next to him, trying to coax him out of whatever shell he'd locked himself in. It was only marginally working . . .

          "No," Nyras' words felt as if they'd lifted an anvil off his shoulders, "What happened tonight was . . . odd, to put it simply. Demons normally cannot enter the material plane without the help of a mortal, let alone so many and ones so powerful. But do not let that trouble you. We will be looking into it, I promise."

          "Don't let it trouble us?" Naoto cut in, "How could we not? If such occurrences like the one tonight have even a slight chance of happening again, we need to learn as much as we can about it!"

          "Naoto-" Nyras started.

          "She's right."

          Everyone turned to Yu, who's eyes had narrowed in grim determination, "Even if what happened tonight isn't a usual thing, there's still plenty of danger in the world. You told us that yourself. And what if something happens that means you can't be there? What are we supposed to do then?"

          Nyras had pressed her lips together, but there was a spark of interest in her eyes as she spoke, arms folding over her chest, "What are you trying to say?"

          He knew he hadn't gone over with the team like he'd wanted. He knew the idea might not appeal to all of them. But after tonight, after what he'd seen, he knew with absolute certainty that they needed to do something. So he let the words fly, "We need to learn how to fight."

          He felt the weight of his friends gazes on his back, but none of them spoke up. Rhysana and Nyras regarded him coolly, and the silence reigned heavy until Nyras spoke, "What you propose . . . is not a bad plan. But for now, the night wanes, and we have things we must see to before it's end. We shall talk more of this in the morning. For now, it would be better for you to get some sleep."

          With that, she turned and left, pulling her hood back over her head as the door clicked closed behind her. He thought he heard another pair of boots join her, a deeper voice asking the woman something, and he wondered if Korval had been standing there the whole time.

          Rhysana remained, and without prompting, she walked forward until she stood in front of Teddie. Kneeling down, she reached out and touched his shoulder, whispering something in a language he couldn't understand. At first, the boy did nothing. Then, he finally stirred and lifted his head, sniffing softly.

          Rhysana smiled, using the heel of her palm to gently wipe his tears away. But when she spoke, it was plain that she was speaking to all of them, "I know it's scary. And I know, after tonight, you must be wishing you were home instead. I don't blame you. This world can be pretty frightening when it wants to be," she rose, gently pulling the bear up with her before continuing, this time looking at them all, "But you have to have courage. You have to be strong. Because even in the bleakest darkness, if you keep that courage with you, you can find a way out of it," A knowing smile crossed her face, "I'd tell you more . . . but something tells me you already know what I'm talking about."

          She walked back to the door, cloak sweeping over the floor with a gentle rustling, like dried leaves over a wooden floor. Before she left completely, with one foot out the door, she leaned back and said, "Goodnight."

          They were left in silence, no one hurrying to leave yet not knowing if they should stay.

          It was only when Teddie finally spoke for the first time since the fight ended that the silence was broken, voice a timorous whisper, "I . . . don't want to sleep by myself . . ."      

          His words resonated with Yu more poignantly than he wanted to admit. After what had happened, sleeping alone in this cold, confining, and dark room was . . . incredibly unappealing. If he even got to sleep at all . . .

          The feeling was mutual with everyone, it seemed.

          "Yeah . . . me neither . . ." Chie admitted softly.

          "Ditto . . ." Rise murmured.

          Yosuke and the rest didn't speak, but their faces said enough.

          "Can we . . . room together?" Kanji put in, "Like camping?"

          "I . . . don't think there is enough room in here for all of us," Naoto added, shifting uncomfortably as if the idea of sharing a room with people was uncomfortable.

          "For once, I don't care," Rise said, moving towards the door. Her hand paused over the handle, looking back somewhat sheepishly, "Is . . . is it alright if we share a room together, Senpai?"

          Everyone looked at him, and Yu only shook his head, "I don't mind. My room's open."

          Rise smiled in something like relief, then vanished out the door.

          Someone grabbed his arm, and he looked to see that it was Teddie. The boy was still unusually quiet, sniffling against the sleeve of his shirt. Yu gave him a small smile, "You can stay too, Ted. Like I said, my room's open."

          Teddie managed a shaky smile in return, "Thanks, Sensei . . ."

          Yosuke opened his mouth, then closed it, looking hesitant.

          "You too," Yu told him. Perhaps despite himself, a faint blush crossed Yosuke's cheeks.

          His words had opened a spring, of sorts, because his room soon became a nesting ground of straw mattresses and blankets pilfered from the other rooms. Everyone had clambered inside, vying for space, with girls on one side and boys on the other. Under any other circumstance, the girls wouldn't have ever dreamed of sharing a room with them. But these weren't other circumstances, and none wanted to be too far apart from another now. But no one complained about the company. With everyone around, up on his cot looking over everyone, Yu felt much safer. So much safer . . .

          But actual sleep was another matter entirely. Too often, as his mind drifted, it would go back to the dark scene that had played out in the square, of demons and blood and death and he would jerk back awake. His friends were not faring much better, grunting in half-sleep and occasionally gasping as an unseen fright jolted them awake. The distant sobs outside did little to help.

          That is, until he heard music. The soft, gentle thrum of a harp, and the equally soft, gentle voice of Rhysana rose to join it. He didn't understand the words, but in his mind's eye he beheld meadows and streams, distant mountains and forests and living things, all under a blanket of dazzling stars that twinkled like diamonds against a bed of black velvet.

          It was only then that his mind fell into true sleep, a sleep blessedly devoid of dreams.

         

         

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope that was fun for you all! :3


	15. What the Sunrise Brings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took me longer to update than expected, partly because I was in Vegas for about two days, and partly because this chapter is HELLA LONG!
> 
> Lot's of talking, and stuff happens.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it! ;)

Yu woke feeling groggy and hot, the stifling woolen blanket falling heavy over his body, the scratchy fabric making his skin itch. Rolling onto his back, he kicked off the covers and stretched, groaning in satisfaction as his muscles tightened and his blood began to flow. Light filtered in from the window, a dim bar of gold slanting across the floor and up the corner near the back wall, and he blearily realized he had forgotten to draw the curtains the night before.

          The night before . . .

          He rolled over onto his side again, his stomach clenching uncomfortably as unwanted memories began to bleed in. Bleeding, just like the wounds on those soldiers that had painted the ground red . . .

          He inhaled sharply, muffling the noise beneath the crook of his arm so as not to disturb his friends slumber. He closed his eyes, trying to stanch the tide of memory before it overwhelmed him. But images continued to flit through his mind at an unrelentingly pace, as if the lack of nightmares he'd had during sleep had been a personal affront to them. A pincer snapping, a monstrous screech, flesh being sundered, screaming, _blood_ -

          His stomach churned and bile rose up into his throat, thick and burning and _hot_ , so hot that tears pricked the corners of his eyes. His stomach heaved again, threatening to expunge yesterday's meal, and he clamped a hand over his mouth as nausea nearly overcame him.

          Curling into a ball as if to protect himself from an unseen threat, Yu forced himself to breath, latching onto a single chant amidst the maelstrom of memory, _Calm down. It's over now. Everyone's safe. Your safe. Calm down, calm down, calm down . . ._

It felt like hours until the beating of his heart slowed and his stomach stopped convulsing on itself, when it reality it must have been only ten minutes. It was only after that that he felt reasonably safe sitting up. His shirt was sticking uncomfortably to his side, and when he pulled it away he felt the air brush cold against his sweaty skin. But the sensation was welcomed.

          Exhaling, he looked to his left to examine his room. It was a literal nest of mattresses and blankets, and he could see his friends still sleeping beneath the thick covers of their quilts. The light from the window cut between the two groups, bouncing off the now cold water of the bathtub and making it shimmer. It hadn't been moved back to it's place beside the wall, and the girls had decided it made a decent border between them and the boys. Some modicum of etiquette still had to be maintained, he supposed.

          He couldn't quite see the girls where he sat, but the rest he could just fine. Yosuke had placed his mattress next to his cot, so he slept just beneath him on his immediate left. He was on his back, so his face was turned up to the ceiling, breathing deeply in slumber. His hair was tousled and his mouth was slightly ajar, but his face was peaceful, and the sight brought a small smile to Yu's lips. Pressed close to the brunette was a small lump hidden underneath the blankets, the sheet rising and falling in a slow, steady cadence he knew to be breathing. Yu knew it was Teddie, because he could see Kanji beyond that, his broad back to the silver-haired teen as he lay facing the tub. His left arm dangled off the side of the mattress, forearm caught in the strip of sunlight while his hand lay beneath the shadow of the tub. He let out a brief snort, then fell back into silence as he submerged deeper in slumber. He could hear the girls quiet breathing too, serene and untroubled by darker dreams.

          Safe.

          That knowledge was more comforting than most would believe possible. It helped Yu breath just a little easier. But . . . there still remained the reality of what had happened last night. And sooner or later, the others would wake up and remember too.

          He didn't look forward to that at all.

          His eyes trailed away from his sleeping friends to rest on the window. He could only see a sliver of the outside, the angle too sharp to see much else. But he could still make out the crack running diagonally down the pane just fine. The sundering fracture was like a jerky line of silver between two translucence halves, the tiny splinters of broken glass creeping out from the break resembling minuscule whorls of ivy growing across a dilapidated edifice. It was like a scar. A scar left behind by the brutal and sudden attack, a remainder chiseled into the very architecture of the building itself. A visible representation of the memory now etched into his own mind, a memory he knew he would carry for the rest of his life.

          Completely unbidden, another memory surfaced . . . one near the beginning of this enterprise. The memory of the drow who had attacked them on the bridge . . . their first brush with the violence that seemed to run rampant in this world. Those drow . . . they had died. But at the time it seemed . . . it seemed unreal. Like . . . like it was just a bad dream, and that was why it hadn't stuck out so much. Maybe it had to do with the disassociation with their surroundings, the fantastical elements still so strange it felt as if nothing was real. Maybe it had to do with the fact that they'd attacked them with the intent to kill. Maybe, even, it was even something as shallow as the fact the drow hadn't been humans. But they had still _died_ . . . and it was this death that was reflected everywhere in this world, even in places supposedly safe.

          And until they found their way back to the safety of their own world . . . they would undoubtedly see more of this exact carnage in the days to come. That was the truth, he knew . . . and it was a truth that scared him more than he could have ever imagined. It was funny (no, it wasn't) . . . he'd faced a countless number of monsters, a murderous psychopath, and even a goddess of Yomi itself. But back then, he'd been able to do something. Back then . . . he and his friends had had the means to fight against the things that frightened them.

          But here, they couldn't fight back. Here, they couldn't fucking do _anything!_ And that was what bothered him the most. The fact that his bonds and the gift bestowed to him to harness their power were _useless_. That _he_ was useless . . .

          His nails dug into the mattress. Even if they mastered the styles of fighting in this world, and the methods used for survival here, he didn't know if any of them would have the will to actually _kill_ someone. Even if it was the only way, the necessary way to survive, it seemed too far. Once, they'd come close . . . but each of them knew now that if they'd gone through with it, they wouldn't have felt victorious. They would have been miserable. So how could they go and make something like that a normal thing?

          "Partner?"

          He turned his head, pulled from his thoughts as he looked down at Yosuke. The boy was stretching his arms over his head, stifling a yawn behind his hand before relaxing against the mattress again.

          "Morning," Yu said softly, turning and bracing an elbow against his bed so he could lean over and look down at his friend more comfortably.

          "Morning," Yosuke whispered, rubbing at his eyes, "How'd you sleep?"

          "Alright, I guess," Yu said. He lowered his head, "Better than I thought I would."

          Yosuke's face sobered up instantly, a melancholy gleam appearing in his eyes, "Yeah . . . me too."

          They lay in silence for a bit, until Yosuke let out a deep, troubled sigh, "You know, I didn't think . . . I mean, I knew this place could be bad . . . but I didn't really think about how bad until last night."

          Yu nodded in complete understanding, "I know. I don't think any of us really understood. But . . . but even if we did, it wouldn't have prepared us for that."

          Yosuke frowned, laying an arm over his eyes, "Yeah . . . it wouldn't have." A very short, quiet laugh, more self-deprecating than anything, escaped him, "Is it bad . . . that I'm sorta glad we didn't get involved last night? I mean, I feel bad for . . . for what happened to those guys . . . and I wish it hadn't happened. But . . ." he drew in a shaky breath, "I can't help feeling relieved . . . because Naoto was right. If we'd tried doing anything, those things would have killed us. And I _hate_ that I know that that's what would have happened! I just- . . ." Yosuke forced himself to calm down before he started yelling, voice falling back into a strained whisper, ". . . I just hate being this helpless."

          Yu listened patiently, letting his friend get everything off his chest as his heart panged in sympathetic understanding. It was obvious last night's tragedy was affecting Yosuke just like it was affecting him, uncertainty running parallel with the fear of his own vulnerability and making things seem darker than they should be. Yu understood it perfectly.

          Perhaps it was that solidarity that made Yu take a chance. Reaching down, he grabbed Yosuke's fingers between his own, holding a bit more tightly than was necessary and finding the warmth of Yosuke's calluses against his own comforting. The other boy tensed in surprise for a moment, then relaxed, not pulling away. It was only then Yu finally continued speaking, "No, it's not bad to feel relieved that your friends are all right. I feel that way too. And I also understand how frustrating it is. Not being able to do anything last night . . . it was awful." Yu's eyes lowered, "There's a part of me that feel's I should have done something, but I know . . . I would have died. And that . . . frustrates me a lot. Just like it frustrates you."

          A small, barely there smile made it's way to Yosuke's mouth, "Nice to know I'm not the only one."

          Yu managed one in return, "I sound like a bad leader, don't I?"

          Yosuke lifted his arm so one eye became visible, looking puzzled, "Why do you say that, partner?"

          "It's just . . ." Yu idly shifted his free fingers through his hair, "A leader is supposed to adapt to any situation to keep their team together and alive. Because of that, being helpless . . . isn't really an option. Especially if I want to keep everyone safe. So . . . admitting I don't really have a plan kind of means I'm metaphorically shooting myself in the foot."

          "Hey, knock that off," Yosuke cut in, "Yeah, you're our leader, that's true, but there wasn't anything you or any of us could have done last night! And besides, you're wrong when you say you don't have a plan."

          At Yu's confused look, Yosuke went on, "Come on, don't tell me you've forgotten about asking Nyras-san to teach us how to fight?"

          At this, Yu's face took on a sheepish cast, "Yeah . . . you know, I did mean to bring that up with all of you, but . . . well . . ."

          "I know," Yosuke said. Yu felt the bottom of the other boy's thumb press against his own, the closest he could come to squeezing his hand, "Don't sweat it. Besides, I think this is a pretty good idea. I mean, we need to learn _something_ if we're going to be sticking around in this place."

          Yu nodded, feeling a flicker of satisfaction at his best friend's support. Not that he doubted he wouldn't have it, but it was nice to hear. Validating even, given how wrong everything had gone in the last few days.

          " . . . could you keep it down over there?"

          Yosuke moved his hand away as Yu looked up to see Chie sitting up from her bed, her head just visible over the rim of the tub. She was rubbing at her eyes as she looked their way, looking disgruntled but still having enough awareness to keep her voice low, "What are you even talking about anyway?"

          "Chie, what's going on?"

          Yukiko appeared as well, her hair a flyaway mess as she ran her fingers through it, looking sleepy as she yawned, "Is everything alright?"

          Chie glanced apologetically at her, "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up, Yukiko."

          The other girl waved dismissively at her, "It's okay. We really should be getting up anyway."

          "Indeed," Yu heard Naoto speak, her voice clear and free of the lingering slurs of sleep. She stood up from her bed so she could look at Yu clearly, recollecting her hat as she did so, "I imagine we have a active day ahead of us. Especially if you want to implement that plan of yours, Senpai."

          "Huh? Plan?" Chie questioned, looking from Naoto to Yu and back.

          "So you listened in, huh?" Yu asked her, smiling faintly.

          "My apologies. I've actually been awake for some time now, and I suppose old habits die hard," Naoto replied, "But I agree with Yosuke-senpai. While some of our respective skill sets don't exactly align with more traditional weaponry, at least learning how will put us a step above where we were before."

          Yukiko's eyes flashed with realization, "Oh, you're talking about what you said to Nyras-san last night."

          Yu nodded, "That's right."

          Chie nodded in understanding, absorbing the idea, "Yeah, I can get behind that. Especially . . ." her voice fell, eyes clouding in memory, "Especially if it means I can do something next time."

          Yukiko gave her friend a sympathetic glance, sadness shining in her eyes, but she didn't speak. Yu saw her swallow thickly, and he imagined the two clasping hands just out of view in an effort to stave off the terror they'd shared the night before. It was . . . nice to now that, despite the fact that the two were just as confused and afraid as the rest of them, they still had each other to rely on.

          That was when another voice spoke up, one that was quiet, unsure, and sad, "Do you think if we did . . . we could do it?"

          Naoto looked down, surprise flitting across her face, "Rise-chan, you're awake."

          Yu saw a head of tousled copper hair appear over the rim of the bath tub, Rise's lips turned down into a small, cheerless frown. The look made Yu shiver, because it was such a far cry from the optimism he was used to seeing on her face. And when she looked at him, eyes misted with apprehension and her arms wrapped around her body as if to shield herself from some unseen evil, it made his heart hurt, "Do you really think . . . we could, Senpai? Without our personas?"

          Yu opened his mouth, only to be cut off by a more brusque voice, "What else can we do? We don't have our personas, but like hell am I just gonna sit by and watch next time."

          Yu looked down as Kanji rolled onto his back and sat up, bracing an elbow against his bent knee, brow furrowed and lip kinked down in a frown, "It probably won't be easy . . . but hell, nothin' is here. So let's just do what we were going to do, stick together, and take some lessons."

          His voice sounded determined, but there was an edge to it that bothered Yu. An edge that almost bordered on desperation, like this single option was their only hope at surviving. He knew Kanji well enough to know he wasn't particularly fond of vulnerability when it could get the ones he cared about hurt, and last night, he'd been nothing but that. Yu could see why he'd want fix that problem, and he found himself sympathizing more strongly than he thought he would.

          "A succinct way of putting it . . . but true nonetheless," Naoto said with a short nod.

          Naoto was remaining composed, the most outwardly composed out of any of them. Perhaps a bit too much. Yu remembered her saying she had been awake longer than any of them, and that must have given her more time to reflect on their situation than any of the others. Given that, it wasn't so surprising she was pushing so strongly for action. Especially since she'd no doubt been playing and replaying those scenes over and over in her head the whole time she'd been awake, seeing time and time again the moment's she'd been too helpless to change anything.

          "But more than that . . ." Rise continued with a shake of her head, looking more and more distraught as she went on, "Even if we do learn, would we be ready to . . . to fight like _that_. To fight and . . ." her voice shook, " . . . and kill people?"

          Her question made everyone shift uncomfortably, eyes falling to the floor as they contemplated the possibility of ending a life. For a possibility it was. A very . . . very high one, at that. But even so, the thought still made Yu's stomach curdle.

          Before anyone could break the silence, however, another very soft, very troubled voice spoke up, "I . . . don't want to kill anyone . . ."

          Yosuke reacted first, jerking up into a sitting position and looking down at the bundle next to him, "Teddie?"

          The bear hadn't moved from his spot or even kicked off the covers, remaining curled up beneath the sheets. But the blanket wasn't thick enough to mask the teary tremor in his voice, one the steadily grew stronger as he spoke, "I . . . I don't want to do that. I don't want to kill anyone!"

          Yu pulled himself down from his bed to crouch on Yosuke's, placing a hand where Teddie's shoulder roughly was. He could feel a faint trembling just beneath his hand, and he could feel Yosuke's concerned gaze flick to him before falling back to the lump beside them. Yu was sad to say he wasn't surprised by this reaction. Out of all of them, Teddie had undoubtedly been affected the worst by the events of last night. And with all their talk of killing people, it was just making it worse. It was a tough subject for all of them, unquestionably, but Teddie was just too gentle-hearted for something like that.

          "No one's going to kill anyone. No one, understand?" Yu said softly but insistently, hoping the surety in his voice was believable, "We'll fight, but not to such an extreme as that. And besides, we shouldn't jump so far ahead like this anyway. We don't even have confirmation that our counterparts will even train us. Seeing if that's even a possibility should be our focus for now. Alright? So no killing. Not for any of us."

          Silence at first. Then, the cover shifted a little, and Teddie plaintively whispered, ". . . Promise?"

          Yu nodded on reflex, squeezing the boy's shoulder, "Promise."

          That was when someone knocked on the door, and Rhysana's voice, unmarred by worry or fear, spoke brightly from the other side, "Morning, my lovelies! I have some new clothes for you!~"

          Glances were shared before Rise went to the door, unbolting the lock and pulling it open with a soft creak. Rhysana stepped inside at once, a brown sack slung over her shoulder, her cloak rustling as she made her way to the one proper bed in the room. Dropping it on the mattress, she pulled the top open and began to pull sets of clothes out from the orifice, chattering as she worked, "So, how did you sleep?"

          The boys scooted back, and Teddie finally sat up himself to follow them. He kept the blanket around his head, though, a portable cocoon to feel safe.

          Yu folded his arms together, saying, "We slept alright. I'm guessing thanks to you."

          Oh yes, he remembered the sweet voice he'd heard before he'd drifted off, and he was certain that that had something to do with the lack of nightmares they'd suffered in the night.

          Rise's eyes lit up in remembrance, "That's right . . . I did hear you singing last night. It was . . . really soothing."

          Rhysana waved at her, "Oh, it was just an old song. But if you want, I guess you could say it had its own 'magic' to it."

          " . . . thank you," Rise replied, managing a smile for the first time that morning, "It . . . really helped, I think."

          Rhysana glanced the girl's way and gave her a wink, smiling as she picked up four of the sets she'd laid out, stacking them on top of one another carefully. She began to make her way to the girls, but not before giving Yu a look, "Your clothes are right on the bed, farthest on the left. The rest of you can figure out who's is who's pretty easily."

          As she went off to hand out the girl's pairs, Yu glanced at the set she'd pointed out. Picking up the first piece, he found a cloth shirt unravel in his hands, the dark gray material made of comfortably soft linen. There was also a pair of pants, woolen socks (thank god), and another garment he wasn't as familiar with. It was thicker than the other clothes, resembling a white buttoned jacket with long, padded sleeves and a rising collar that would cover a portion of his neck.

          "A doublet?" he heard Naoto ask, having found the same thing.

          "Yes, a doublet," Rhysana replied. Clapping her hands, she said, "Now, get dressed! Breakfast is downstairs, and we have two more stops to make in the town before we leave."

          "Leave?" Rise asked suddenly. She glanced out the window, smile fading, "After what happened?"

          Rhysana's expression softened, and she reached out placed a hand on her other's cheek, "I know. It seems too soon, and you want to help. But there's not much more we can do for the people here. The best we _can_ do is carry on and try to learn more about what happened, and our best chance to find it right now would be in Bailsborough. Do you understand?"

          Rise bowed her head for a moment, face hidden behind a curtain of hair. Then, with a short exhale, she raised it and gave a slow nod, "Yeah . . . I understand."

          Rhysana smiled, looking pleased as she gave Rise a soft nudge to her shoulder, "That's my girl."

          "You still don't know what happened?" Yukiko asked the woman, looking worried.

          "What happened was unusual by anyone's standards. But it would be better to talk about this after you've gotten some food in you. And we will talk, I promise," Rhysana said.

          Another knock by the door diverted everyone's attention, and they looked to find that Tirin was leaning casually against the doorframe, lazily tossing an a pair of apples up and down with just one hand as he spoke, "Nyras is looking for you, Rhys. Just to let you know."

          Rhysana rolled her eyes, "Ah, Nyras, never a moment's rest when she's on a hunt."

          She walked out the door, calling over her shoulder before departing, "We'll be downstairs! Oh, and you should probably clean this mess up before you finish! The servants will appreciate it!"

          Tirin didn't leave quite as quickly, instead taking a bite out of one apple while catching the second with his other hand, saying enticingly, "There's fresh porridge downstairs, enough for everyone! And the cook even scrounged up some honey to go with it, so its extra sweet and tasty!"

          Food, unfortunately, wasn't holding its usual appeal for any of them, and so they all just sat in a weary silence without offering any sort of interest in the porridge.

          Tirin sighed, frowning at their lack of enthusiasm. Then he perked up, taking to balancing the unbitten apple on the tip of one finger in an attempt to amuse them and talking as nonchalantly as if he were talking about the weather, "You now, when I first came to the surface, the first thing I saw were demons too."

          This got everyone's attention.

          ". . . Really?" Teddie asked.

          "Mhm. And because of it, I thought everywhere was just as bad and scary as the Underdark. But then I got to know more about the surface, and take it from me, it really isn't! Nothing like my home, anyway. What I'm trying to say is . . ." Tirin bounced the apple up and switched fingers just in time, the fruit wobbling on the tip of his thumb, "The surface is a much better place than what you saw last night. Sure, there's still danger around, but you shouldn't let that stop you from exploring, because there's a lot of amazing things to see! Like Arvorod, and The Jeweled River! So chins up!"

          He rolled the apple on his fingers and tossed it up, catching it on the top of his head and keeping it there as he smiled, "You survived the Underdark, and you'll survive this!"

          Tirin made it sound so simple. But then, perhaps it was for him, since he'd lived with this sort of bedlam his entire life. But it wasn't so simple for them . . .

          "But not everyone survived . . ." Teddie put what everyone was thinking into words, eyes downcast.

          Tirin's smile faded, but something like practicality entered his voice, "I know. And that's sad. But that's what happens sometimes. That's why we do what we do; so it doesn't happen so much."

          That was true, Yu realized . . . if they hadn't been here, a lot more people would have died. A _lot_ more.

          Tirin continued, a conspiratorial spark appearing in his eyes, "Aaaand maybe, though you didn't hear this from me . . . you might be helping out a little in that regard too!"

          Everyone looked up at this, but before they could inquire further, Tirin was already turning away. But not before smirking and saying, "Think fast, cub!"

          He tilted his head so the apple fell and rolled down his arm, jerking it up into the air when it reached his elbow. It landed right in Teddie's lap, the smooth skin clipping the bear on the nose and earning the gloaming a startled 'eep'.

          Still smiling, the man took one last bite of his apple and vanished down the hall.

          "They make it sound so easy . . ." Rise commented, looking down, "To just forget what happened."

          "For them . . . it probably is," Naoto said softly, "And I don't mean that in a disparaging way. It's simply how it has to be."

          Silence fell after that. Everyone knew hey had to get dressed, but it fell to the wayside even as the boys grabbed their clothes.

          Yosuke gave the bear a soft nudge with is foot, "Come on, Ted, get your stuff. There's free food in it for you if you do."

          He was trying to entice him, but Teddie didn't react to it, a worrying sight. Instead, after another moment of quiet thought, he looked at Yu, "Sensei, is that true? Do you really think this world . . . isn't scary like this all the time?"

          Yu's face softened, but he gave himself a few moment's to compose a reply before crouching down to be eye level with the boy, "I think that Tirin and the rest have a lot more experience than we do when it comes to this world. And I believe them when they say that this wasn't normal, and I believe Tirin when he says the surface is a better place than that," leaning in a little closer, he posed the question, "Do you?"

          He was saying this for everyone else too, not just Teddie. Because . . . he really did believe that this world was much better than what they saw last night. After all, it wasn't like their own was free of terror, even if it took place behind closed doors and lacked the fantastical elements here.

          "I . . . I really, really want to say yes, but . . ." Teddie fell silent for a few seconds, then shook his head, fingers tightening around the apple as he continued, "No, I do believe him. But it's just . . . scary . . ."

          "Ain't nothing wrong with bein' scared," it was Kanji who spoke this time, "Hell, I'll admit I was nothin' but when those things came out."

          " . . . Yeah," Yosuke and Chie murmured agreement in unison.

          "We were all scared, Teddie," Yukiko added softly.

          "But we have to keep going," Yu put in, this time glancing around at every face so they all understood that these words were for them as well, "No matter what, we can't let fear stop us from looking for a way home. I know we can't just get over what happened last night, but we have to look ahead. And if we can help find out why this happened, all the better."

          Slowly, resolve began to gleam in everyone's eyes, nods and determined expressions being shared by all present. It wouldn't quell the fear in it's entirety, and it wouldn't lessen the horror of what they'd witnessed. But with this, he hoped they would be strong enough to keep going regardless. For carrying on was all they could do.

          Teddie, after another moment of thoughtful silence, nodded too. And then, for the first time that day, he managed to smile, "Mm. Thanks, Sensei."

          Yu returned it, patting him gently on the shoulder, "Come on. We have a breakfast to get to, and I hear there's honey involved."

          Teddie's smile grew just a little bigger at that.

          After a moment, Naoto spoke, "Well, we've probably kept the others waiting long enough. Although . . . perhaps we should relocate to another room."

          She was talking to the girls, who all quickly gave their assent to that.

          Putting on the clothes was a fairly simple affair, the girls quickly vacating to another room and therefore making it a little less awkward. Soon enough, they finished, and Yu found himself wearing a new pair of gray linen pants held up by a brown belt, a gray shirt with visible stitch work lining the sleeves, and the white doublet thing that had taken forever to button. The socks were nice too, thick and warm and comfortable when he pushed them back into the boots he'd been charitably 'given' in the Underdark. At least those were clean now.

          The rest of the boys were all wearing pretty much the same thing, just in different sizes. The girls too, as he'd come to find out, though the clothes seemed more wavy on them due to their curves. Except Naoto, but he knew better than to ask about that.

          With their help, they sorted the mattresses out quickly, and the work was something of a relief since it helped take his mind off things. But it was done quickly, and soon they were all walking downstairs into the main tavern.

          The room was eerily quiet, with only a few patrons filling the seats, a far cry from yesterday. He got no points for guessing the reason as to why.

          They found Nyras, Korval, Tirin, and Rhysana sitting in one of the corners, talking amongst themselves with bowls of porridge sitting in front of them. They all looked up as they approached.

          "Aw, look at you!~" Rhysana crooned. Glancing at Korval, she said, "Way to pick the material, although I wish you'd used a little more variation."

          Korval grunted, "I was going for useful, not showy. Save that stupid stuff for parties."

          "Please, pay no mind to them," Nyras said. She gestured to an empty table next to them, bowls of steaming food already laid out, "Please, eat. We've a busy day today. You'll need your strength."

          They nodded absently as took their seats, chair legs scraping along the floor. The porridge in front of him was an off-white color, the creamy yet lumpy mass giving off a fresh, milky scent with just a hint of honey. It was enough to turn his appetite back on, and, digging his spoon into it, he popped a small amount into his mouth. It was pleasantly smooth, sweet and bearing a honeyed tinge that settled just right on his tongue.

          He heard a crunch, and looked to see that Teddie had taken a bite of his apple, juice dribbling down his chin before he could stop it. After that, everyone followed their lead and began to eat.

          They only got a few bites in when Korval finally asked, "So, uh . . . how you kids feelin'? I know last night was rough on ya."

          The memory made his appetite falter, and Yu put his spoon down as he forced himself not to spit out the mouthful he already had. Everyone else hesitated too, now picking at their food rather than eating it.

          Korval noticed, grimacing, "Sorry."

          "No, don't be. It's not like it's your fault . . ." Chie said, tapping the end of her spoon against the table.

          He noticed Rhysana give the half-orc a glare, but before he could reply to that, Naoto asked, "We learned from Rhysana that you still have yet to locate an explanation as to why those . . . demons appeared."

          "It's less that we do not know and more to do with the fact that there simply isn't a cause," Nyras said, "We searched, but there were no traces of residual summoning magic in any area in or around the town."

          "What does that mean?" Yosuke questioned.

          Nyras sighed, looking frustrated, not with them but with herself, "It means that there was no caster who summoned those demons, or any catalyst that could have provided a foothold. The closest I can come to an explanation is 'natural phenomena', but there is nothing natural about demons entering the material plane."

          "But . . . there was a portal, right?" Yukiko asked, rolling the top layer of her porridge around with her spoon.

          "Oh, there was a portal," Tirin said, "I sensed it. But there wasn't, well . . . a _cause_ for it. Anywhere."

          "Meaning none of you know why this happened," Yu stated.

          The group beside them shifted, but said nothing. Honestly, that said enough.

          "That's why we're going to Bailsborough," Rhysana said, "It's a much more magically oriented town, experts there might know something."

          "There is at least one piece of good news," Nyras said, "The demon that escaped is no more. I made sure of that."

          "You found it?" Kanji asked, "After it disappeared?"

          Rhysana smiled, "The Theron line is a family of demon hunters, that's kind of what they do."

          A flicker of old awe rekindled itself in Yu's heart as he looked at the hooded woman, along with everyone else.

          "A real demon hunter? F-for real?" Yosuke asked.

          A smile twitched at Nyras' lips, "Yes, for real. I have been for quite some time."

          "So . . . your position is a familial occupation as well," Naoto said.

          Nyras' eyes flicked to the girl, "Has your profession to do with inheritance too? Intriguing . . ."

          "Um . . ." Chie's murmur distracted both of them, and she fiddled with her spoon as Nyras looked at her, "Sorry, I was just wondering if . . . you guys thought about Narukami-kun's plan last night?"

          "What's there to think about?" Korval asked, shrugging, "Course we were going to say yes."

          Everyone straightened up at this, excitement starting to trickle in like a tiny stream.

          Nyras smiled, "Learning how to defend yourself is not only sensible in this world, but critical. Besides, considering who your company is, it was already an unspoken agreement that we would train you."

          "We were going to bring it up a little later, but, well . . . you sort of beat us to that," Rhysana explained, lacing her fingers together over the table.

          "Don't think we'll go easy on you, though!" Tirin put in, smirking, "As of this moment, you're our apprentices, with all that entails!"

          Yu felt more relief than he had in days, despite Tirin's slightly ominous warning. With the utmost sincerity, he said, "Thank you."

          "Yeah, for real!" Yosuke said, smiling.

          "Wow, this is gonna be so cool!" Chie commented in giddy excitement, caught up in the moment, "We're real apprentices to real masters!"

          "Yeah, no kidding!" Kanji said, grinning.

          "Hm, I wonder what weapon would be a good substitute for a pistol . . ." Naoto mused, "A crossbow, perhaps?"

          "We should probably hurry up," Rhysana put in, looking amused, "We don't want to waste _too_ much time here, after all."

          Nyras nodded, rising from her place, "Indeed. Are you almost finished eating?"

          Yu looked at his scarcely eaten bowl and frowned at it, "I . . . think I'm good."

          "Same," Yosuke said.

          Other murmurs of agreement were made, bowls being pushed away as they stood up. They'd barely eaten, honestly, but Yu didn't think he could stomach another bite without risking getting sick.

          The other group shared a glance, obviously noticing the barely eaten porridge as well, but made no comment about it. Instead, they simply rose to follow, nodding a thanks to the innkeeper as they stepped outside.

          The square was almost empty too. Only a few people were milling around, and most of those were gathered near the heart, collecting bits of broken stone and placing them in a wooden wheelbarrow. A faint mist hung around the buildings and the ground, rolling in gentle sweeps over the stone and bringing with it a moist chill that made him shiver. Yu and his friends all shifted uneasily, not liking being so close where the fight had broken out last night and feeling unnerved by the almost total silence that engulfed the once lively plaza.

          It wasn't until Nyras spoke that the silence was broken, "Come on. Follow me."

          She and her allies began to walk ahead, and they fumbled to catch up, not wanting to be left behind.

          "So, what are we doing?" Rise asked, keeping her head low and trying not to look around.

          "You'll see!~" Tirin teased.

          The store they led them to had two large tanning racks stationed on either side of the door, the stone walls old and rough. They walked inside, and immediately were hit by a foul perfume of stagnant water, putrefying flesh, and drying leather. Several of his friends gagged as they entered, the stench truly revolting to behold.

          Inside, he saw several armor racks, each showcasing different styles and sets, though most were made of leather. There were a few select ones too, mostly chainmail and padded armor, and one small set in the very corner that looked like the armor was made out of . . . leaves?

           Nyras was speaking to a rather large, grizzled man near the back, the man's eyes nearly vanishing beneath the hood of his protruding brow. His thick, corded arms were crossed, and he gave a brisk nod before gesturing to the rightmost wall, where several other racks were positioned.

          Someone gave a slight nudge to his shoulder, and he looked to see Rhysana give a pointed glance in the armor's direction, "Well go on! Those are yours!"

          Wait . . . what?  

          "What?" Yosuke asked, befuddled.

          Tirin smiled brightly, "Well, it's good for you all to have some protection, and leather armor is one of the best for beginners!"

          "W-what? Really?!" Chie asked, excitement beginning to rise.

          Korval huffed in amusement, "Yeah, really. Now go put 'em on!"

          Glances were shared, then everyone was hurrying over to the racks. Nyras helpfully pointed out which ones belonged to who, and Yu soon found himself standing before his very own set  of leather armor. It was a brigandine, the leather plates lightly layered with iron in certain places, mainly the chest and armpits. Several iron buckles lined the front of the brigandine, and two small pauldrons of leather were set on the shoulders. Leather gauntlets hung from a black cord below it, and a pair of leather greaves sat beside it.

          "So this is why you got us doublets," Naoto said.

          "Yes," Nyras replied, "It helps stop the armor from chafing."

          Yosuke and Chie were already pulling at the buckles, and it wasn't long before everyone was following their lead. Actually putting it on, however, was a bit of a challenge. They'd put on armor before, of course, but it always had a bit of a modern fling to it. There were a lot more buckles and belts meant to securely tie them in place, and as they were told by Korval, they had to pull it on till it was snug. And when he was finally _in_ it, it felt . . . weird. His clothes kept it from being uncomfortable, but he could feel where the armor pressed closer in certain places, and it was a little hard to move in. It also felt like the shopkeeper was giving them all a judgmental stare, and frankly, that irked him.

          At least it helped distract from the smell . . .

          "So, how do you like it?" Rhysana asked expectantly.

          "Feels, uh . . . a little weird," Kanji admitted, stretching his arms back as a test of his flexibility.

          "You'll get used to it," Korval said, "Just walk around in it for a bit."

          "It's nice to have some real armor though," Chie said, smiling as she hopped from leg to leg.

          "I wish I could move a bit more freely, but other than that, I agree with you," Yosuke said, fiddling with his gauntlets.

          "This is perfect," Yu said, "Thank you."

          "We're not done yet!" Rhysana trilled excitedly, hopping out of the shop, "Follow me!"

          Follow her they did, leaving the smell and store owner Judgy-Eyes to the shop right next to it. This one was just one level and sort of small, with only one long, rectangular window showcasing an menagerie of different weapons, from swords to daggers to axes and back again. They didn't need to be told what this shop was about.

          "Seriously, we're getting real weapons, too?" Yosuke asked, but he only looked excited.

          "We'll be practicing with wood first, but in case of a real fight, real weapons would be better," Korval said.

          "We haven't already set aside weapons for you either, so peruse to your heart's content," Nyras told them.

          Given the okay to go in, they all scampered inside. Weapons racks lined the walls and a few spots around the shop's floor, all set apart with their own specific set of arms. In the center were a collection of different swords, and on the rack on the left and right walls were a various assortment of hammers and axes, respectively. Bows were hung on the upper walls, just out of reach, and in the very back was a long desk with a glass front showcasing a wide array of daggers. The shopkeeper sat behind it, polishing the blade of one such dagger with a well oiled cloth. It was a woman, a very tall one dressed in a light set of chainmail tied close to her body with a set of sturdy belts. Her brown hair shaved closed to her head, and a metal stud was pierced through her nose. She gave them a surly glance before grunting and returning to work, paying them no mind after that.

          He decided to pay her no mind either, instead wandering over to the sword racks. There was a fairly wide variety to pick from, but none were made in the style he was accustomed to. And why would it? He highly doubted he'd find anything of Japanese make here. So that left him looking for the best alternative.

          Specifically, he looked for swords with longer blades, ones he could grip with two hands, as was his preferred style. He thought about a scimitar, but alas, that only required one hand, and it felt awkward to hold. His friends milled about around him, looking for weapons that would suit them.

          "I'm kinda amazed that a little town like this has so much stuff," Yosuke commented.

          "Well, people could say the same about Deidara's," Chie put in.

          "Sedgeridge gets most of it's supplies and commodities through trade with Arvorod and other towns," Nyras explained as she helped Naoto with the crossbows, "Otherwise, it's just a simple fishing village."

          Yu let the conversation fade to background noise, turning back to the racks in front of him. Long swords, falchions, rapiers . . .

          That was when one caught his eye. It was a larger sword, about four feet in length, with a sheath of black leather inscribed with a rune just below the hilt. The grip was long enough to wrap both hands around, enfolded in black leather and ending in a pommel set into the shape of a large, silver knob that was engraved with stylized lines. The cross-gaurd flared out from the hilt, the ends curving up to the sword's tip, and the center of each gaurd was impressed down to give it the feeling of more depth.

          Reaching out, Yu pulled it from it's sheath, the ring it produced pleasant to his ears. The iron blade was masterfully worked, a polish of silver coating it's surface, the fuller shaved down to provide more balance to the blade as a whole. He held it experimentally, finding he liked the feel of it in his hands, the weight more like the swords he used to wield in the tv world. True, it lacked the tell-tale curve of his usual blades, but he could work with that.

          A loud and sudden crash made him jump, and Yu looked to see that Yukiko was hastily trying to pick up the axes she'd accidently knocked loose.

          "Sorry," she apologized, "I was just trying to grab this fan . . ."

          Chie rushed to her side, helping her pick up the rest of the items while the shopkeeper gave them a scrutinizing glare. Rhysana swept closer as well, but instead, she reached down and picked up a small, slender object laying on the ground. With a flick of her wrist, it snapped open, and Yu was graced with the sight of a fan that wouldn't look out of place in Yukiko's hands. The body the fan sectioned off into roughly eight smooth strips of dark metal, the tips tapering into sharp points that resembled needles. Red colored each point as well as the end strips on each side of the fan, a rather elegant weapon he had _not_ expected to find in a place like this.

          "Huh, exotic," Rhysana commented, "Normally you'd only find something like this in Arvorod."

          "It's also not a very practical weapon," Nyras said, "An item like that is best suited in the hands of a spellcaster to serve as a focus, and we have yet to learn if magic is a feat you are capable of."

          Yukiko looked downtrodden at that, "It's just . . . I used a fan a lot before, and I thought it would be . . ."

          Chie immediately jumped to her friend's defense, "I don't get why it's a big deal. Yukiko is great with fans!"

          Rhysana waved her down, then looked at Nyras, snapping the fan closed, "I think we should let them use the weapons their comfortable with. Besides, they might just surprise you!"

          Nyras sighed, but relented, "As you wish. Although, I do warn you, an exotic item like that will cost quite a bit."

          "Right, because we're sorely lacking in funds of any sort," Rhysana quipped back, "How could I forget?"

          "Don't worry so much about that, guys!" Tirin called from where he stood, leaning against the desk and chatting the shopkeeper up, "The lovely lady here has offered us a discount as a thank you for our valiant feats last night!"

          He said something to the woman, and Yu blinked when he noticed the faint flush cross her cheeks. Apparently, Tirin's charm was at work here.

          "And there you have it!" Rhysana said, handing the fan to Yukiko, "All set!"

          The girl took it, holding it almost reverently in her hands, "Thank you."

          "How about the rest of you?" Rhysana asked, "Any luck?"

          "I think I'm good," Yosuke said, holding up a pair of identical daggers. The workmanship was solid, the triangular blades about six inches in length and tapering to very sharp points. The twin hilts were both set with a small, square crystal as transparent as glass, the grips wrapped in soft brown leather.

          "This will do for now," Naoto said, holding up a crossbow. It was smaller than Nyras', and much less ornate. The body was crafted from simple oak wood, the wings of the bow curving down, the edges lined with iron. It fit awkwardly in Naoto's hands, the girl obviously not used to holding such a weapon and looking discomfited by that fact.

          Nearby, he heard Teddie grumble from where he was sitting crouched by the long desk, "They don't have any claws . . ."

          "Then get daggers," Tirin said to him.

          Teddie puffed out his cheeks, eyes gleaming in annoyance, "No, you don't understand! How can I be the best bear I can be if I don't even have a ferociously bearsome set of claws?"

          He was starting to sound more like his old self . . . good.

          Tirin scoffed, "Cubs aren't exactly 'ferocious', even with claws. Now get daggers."

          Teddie grumbled incoherently, but eventually acquiesced and settled for a pair of daggers like Yosuke, only these ones had more of a curve to the blade itself, the hilt a dirty bronze color. He could see he didn't quite like it.

          He couldn't ponder it for long, because by then another argument was breaking out, "You can't use just a shield in a fight."

          "The hell I can't! I've been doin' it for ages!"

          Kanji was holding onto a large, circular shield of wrought iron, four metal studs embedded around the shield's center in the shape of a square. It was pretty solid looking, just the way Kanji liked his weapons, but Korval was looking at it in profound disapproval.

          "Oh, give him a break," Rhysana tipped in mischievously, "I distinctly remember a time where all you used was a shield, too!~"

          Korval rolled his eyes, a hint of growl in his voice, "Only cause I didn't have anything else at the time! Like nothing! _And_ you saw how good that worked out for me, so don't go puttin' stupid ideas in their heads, Rhysana!"

          "But this is what I'm used to!" Kanji protested.

          "Are you also used to having a sword stuck in your leg, cause that's what's gonna happen!" Korval rebuffed just as strongly.

          "He's speaking from experience," Tirin said idly, grinning.

          Korval glared at him, "Tirin, Andel help me, I will-!"

          "Here, how about this," Nyras intervened before tempers could rise any higher, "Kanji can keep his shield-"

          " _Yes_ ," Kanji hissed victoriously.

          "Ugh," Korval grunted.

          "But he'll have to choose a complimentary weapon to go with it. Might I suggest a hammer?" Nyras' tone made it pretty clear that this verdict was final.

          Kanji agreed, though a bit sulkily, eventually choosing a one-handed hammer from the racks. It's head was small, but broad, good for bludgeoning, but Yu hoped it wouldn't mess up Kanji's preferred method of fighting too terribly.

          "I see you holding that sword. Is that the one you want?" Yu looked at Rhysana and nodded strongly. He wanted this sword very much.

          The only ones left were Rise and Chie, who both stood awkwardly amidst the weapon racks.

          "Aren't you going to pick anything?" Rhysana asked them.

          "Um, well . . ." Chie spoke first, shifting from foot to foot, "I normally fight with my feet, so the weapons here won't really do me much good."

          "Your feet?" the woman said, interest sparking, "Like a monk?"

          "A monk?" Chie asked, looking puzzled, "W-well, I guess, sort of. I watched a lot of kung-fu movies at home, and, uh . . ." she trailed off at the confused looks she was receiving, wincing slightly, "Right, you don't know what those are."

          "How about this?" Tirin offered, pulling a quarterstaff from the wall. It was about five feet in length and made of thick, sturdy wood, the tips shod in iron.

          "Uh, I don't know . . ." Chie hesitated, looking unsure.

          "I think it would work," Rhysana said, "Quarterstaffs are very balanced weapons, and monks use them all the time."

          "You think?" Chie asked, still undecided.

          "I know," Rhysana said, a hint of a knowing smile on her face. She took the staff from Tirin and held it out to her, "Here, take it."

          Chie, after another moment's hesitation, reached out and accepted it, fitting it into her hands and examining the woodwork.

          "And what about you, Rise?" Nyras asked the girl.

          Rise  shifted awkwardly on her feet, "I, uh . . don't really fight, so I'm not sure what to pick."

          "Then we'll work with something simple!" Rhysana said, walking to the sword racks. With a smile, she plucked a rapier from it's perch, giving it an embellished twirl before holding it out to the girl, "I've found these are very easy to work with. Light too, and fast. A good start."

          Rise took it, but she held the blade awkwardly, frowning and looking uncomfortable with it, "Um . . ."

          "There, I say that covers it!" Rhysana said, "So let's pay up and get our little show on the road!"

          Which is exactly what they did. Yu had _no_ idea how they'd managed to accrue so much gold, or how they had any left after the fact, but he could most definitely say it was awe-inspiring to watch it all tumble across the desk. The shopkeeper was quite happy after the fact.

           Also, wearing a bastard sword (yes, that's what it was called) from his belt like his other swords was proving an odd task, for one) it was heavier, and two) it was longer. However, he adjusted quickly, and he'd rather have it in a place he was used to rather than on his back.

          When they walked outside again, the sun was up in the sky and the mist was long gone, the day shaping up to be a nice one indeed.

          "Right, we'll leave the way we came. The road loops up all the way to Bailsborough, and we should make it there by nightfall," Nyras said, gesturing towards the road situated on the hill.

          Well . . . at least they'd have plenty of time to get used to their new garments.

          That was when he heard a strange noise. It sounded . . . distant, but it was growing closer, a repetitive _thoom_ that would fall silent for a few seconds before coming again. The others noticed too.

          "What's that?" Rise asked, growing anxious.

          "N-nothing bad, right?" Teddie questioned, looking around.

          "It's fine," Nyras reassured them. She was looking up, a hint of a smile on her face, "From the east. Watch."

          Her words calmed them at first, but as the sound grew louder and closer, it was hard to not turn and run back inside the shop. He had to fight the urge to clamp his hands over his ears as the sound turned into a thunderclap, so deafening he felt it resound in his very core.

          And suddenly, over the crest of the hill beside the inlet, the colossal form of the golden dragon they'd seen the day before swooped into sight. Wind rolled over the hill alongside her entrance, the water on the lake rippling under the force. Her great wings came down in another thunderous flap, scales glittering in the sunlight, dazzling to behold. She swept over the other hill in only a second, but that second seemed to last an eternity as he watched her nothing short of awe. But it wasn't quite over, for he saw the dragon suddenly straighten her wings and angle her body to the right, swooping around back around to the village.

          With another mighty flap, she landed on the hill beside the road, the ground shaking even here as her claws sunk into the marshy ground. She straightened her triangular wings out so they stood straight up along her back, at rest, her great head rising to survey the landscape before her. A long, rumbling growl emanated from her being, and he felt it reverberate in the ground beneath his feet.

          She was so close . . . so close it was _unbelievable_. Her scales were more prominent than ever, and if he thought she was big before, then he felt as significant as a gnat now. He could make out the enormous, curving horns that crowned her massive head, the ribbed bone swooping elegantly along her brow. Long, tentacle-like protrusions sprouted along her jaw line, the longest growing from her chin and gradually becoming shorter as they traveled up, bearing a strange resemblance to a beard.  

          It seemed every thought froze, however, when her eyes fell on them.

          They were like pools of molten gold, devoid of irises yet filled with a wisdom he couldn't even begin to understand. There was a summon in her gaze, a summon so powerful he found himself walking forward without thinking. It was only Nyras' hand on his arm that stopped him from mindlessly wandering ahead.

          "Follow us," she said to them, "For it seems Tiruviel wishes an audience."

(*)

          The hallway was dark, every lavish curtain drawn closed and allowing not even a scrap of sunlight to grace the marbled floors.

          Two figures walked alone down the ornate hall, their footsteps producing an eerie echo down the lonely corridor. One was the woman dressed in the long, plain cloak. Her companion, on the other hand, was dressed far more ready for a fight. His armor was formfitting, the main material resembling black leather. Yet it seemed a darkness existed within it, for shadows would flit beneath the fabric, crawling over the armor before disappearing in the merest blink of an eye. His black chest plate was stylized with adamantine thread weaving together to resemble the silvered web of a spider while a black gorget was laid over his shoulders and neck, mithral thread decorating the edges and lacing the interior. The sleeves of the armored suit looked plain by anyone's standards, but within lay a deadly menagerie of tiny blades that could fly out at the merest  controlled twitch of the man's muscles. The same held true of his greaves, the black leather also bound to the main suit he wore. His gloves had small silver runes etched along the knuckle of each finger, and his belt was lined with numerous pouches for storing potions and poisons of any sort. His boots were covered in a thin layer of minuscule mithral links the color of storm-ridden clouds, a very thin, very cold fog lightly ghosting from the soles with every step. A gray surcoat the color of stone was draped over his back, doing little to hide the curved daggers attached to his hips, each pommel set with a sphere of smoky quartz.

          The man's ebony skin and glowing red eyes marked his heritage as drow, his silver hair pulled back into a tight ponytail, face a perfectly controlled mask that betrayed nothing.

          The woman was the first to break the silence, "You're skills in tracking are quite superlative. That you were able to secure us an audience with our cautious 'friend' is nothing short of astounding."

          "I merely offered an invitation," the man replied, "He accepted. Whether or not this is a trap remains to be seen."

          "Indeed."

          They walked in silence for a moment more before the woman spoke again, "So tell me, Zevorn, how did you come to rise so high in your family's hierarchy?"

          His reply was neutral, "My affairs and personal conquests are none of your concern."

          "Ah, indeed. My apologies, I meant no offense," the woman smiled, "I just find it quite admirable that you have taken so much power for your own. I know for the men in your society, it is often hard to shake off the chains of prejudice that keeps you oppressed."

          "I will do what it takes to achieve my goals, nothing more and nothing less," Zevorn said curtly, "But those are not your concern."

          The woman laughed, "Of course. But I cannot help but be drawn to those who possess such strong and stable wills, the ones who are willing to do _anything_ to achieve what they desire."

          "My mother has decided to ally herself and our House with you in pursuit of your quest," Zevorn said, a faint edge of warning in his voice, "And your ally I shall be. But that does not make us friends."

          "Ah, now that is a shame. And still I must ask; is there truly no room for friendship amongst the acquisition of your goals? Surely, there must be one out there you call a friend," the woman said. Her next words were said casually, but there was something there, something _knowing_ , that traced each and every syllable, "Or perhaps there was . . . only they got in the way."

          It was there for only a heartbeat . . . but something flickered in Zevorn's eyes.

          But it was gone, and instead he spoke, "We are here. You wish to be left alone for this, yes?"

          The woman gazed at the heavy wooden door before them, nodding, "Yes, I do. Please, keep an eye out for any troublemakers who may yet linger in the halls. It wouldn't do to have any eavesdroppers."

          Zevorn nodded, and with that, the woman pulled open the door and stepped inside.

          It was a smaller room, with a plush rug and large table situated before a smoldering fireplace as ostentatious as the rest of the house. The embers glowed, shedding a pleasantly dim orange light around the room, the deepest corners drenched in darkness. A portrait of a portly man dressed in regal finery hung above the fireplace, and on the wall opposite the door as a window with it's curtains drawn tight. There were only two chairs around the table, one on either end, plates and jeweled wine goblets situated before each. Food was loaded across the table from end to end in barely controlled chaos; lightly steaming vegetables, soups and warm meat pies, various roasts, a stuffed pig, fruit tartlets, a collection of heavenly-smelling decadence only the wealthy could afford.

          Sitting in the chair facing the door was a man wearing a regal ensemble of dyed robes, a circlet of silver and laced with diamonds encircling his head. His skin was very pale against the brightly colored clothes he wore, his dark hair neatly braided and draped over his shoulder. He was drinking form one of the goblets, one he held up when she entered.

          In a voice as rich as velvet and laced with honey, he spoke, "Ah, a lovely specimen to grace us this evening, wouldn't you say My Lord?"

          He glanced to the chair opposite, and she could see a rather fat hand resting along the arm of the chair. Rings adorned almost every finger, and she assumed it was the man in the picture. However, he remained motionless and said nothing.

          The other man shook his head disapprovingly, glancing apologetically to the woman, "Ah, you'll have to forgive him. Poor man can't hold his liquor as well as he used to."

          "Oh, I'm certain I can forgive him," she replied smoothly, walking up to the chair and idly running her fingers along its spine, "After all, I'm sure he would be the most gracious host to me, as he was to you, Duke Beringer. Or perhaps I should say . . ."

          She locked eyes with the man across from her, "Lord Gethen. The fabled Whispering Death."

          She pushed the chair beside her with inhuman speed, the plush seat toppling over with a crash. The man sitting within hit the floor with a lifeless thud, the light bouncing off his blued face, mouth open and eyes glazed in a rictus of death.

          Gethen tsked sharply, holding up an unbelieving hand, looking miffed, "Was that truly necessary? I was going for a dramatic reveal here when the maids returned. Have you never seen a maid's face when they find out their master is dead? It is glorious sight, I assure you."

          The woman waved a dismissive hand, "If it matters so much to you, you can always put him back. But as of right now, there are things I wish to discuss with you, as I'm sure you know."

          "Yes, yes, evil plan, world conquest, when you exist as long as I have, you see them all sweetheart," Gethen replied, looking bored as he took another sip from his goblet, "The only reason I came is because it has been a rather slow month, and frankly, I can only entertain fat old fops like this for so long."

          He gestured to the dead man on the floor.

          The woman only smiled, "Oh, I think you'll like what I have to say, oh Minstrel of Lost Souls."

          "Know how to stroke a man's ego, I see," Gethen replied with a smirk.

          "I can do much more than that for you," the woman promised sweetly, "Like, say . . . offer you an end."

          The man paused, "And what 'end' do you mean?"

          "Oh, just wouldn't you like to know," the woman said coyly, tracing her finger along the edge of the table.

          "Yes, I think I would," Gethen said after a moment, placing his cup down, "I've finished my job here and currently have nowhere else to go, so . . ."

          He leaned back in his seat and spread out his arms, the orange firelight catching the glint of a fang between his smirk, "It's your lucky day, sweetheart. I'm all ears."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like ominous warnings, don't you?


	16. Scales of Gold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, update so long right? Sorry, I was writing for other stuff. 
> 
> But it's here now! And you get to meet a dragon! :D
> 
> Enjoy!

          Yu stared at the hooded woman with wide eyes, but it was Chie who spoke first, "W-we're going to t-talk to her? To the _dragon?!_ "

          "Mhm!" Rhysana replied with a smile, trotting ahead, "After all, its pretty stupid to ignore a dragon when they want to talk to you!"

          Everyone else was too busy staring at the dragon to really respond to that.

          “T-that’s . . . a lot bigger up close . . .” Yosuke murmured.

          “A lot bigger . . .” Yu echoed, having to crane his neck just to be able to take Tiruviel’s entire form in.

          "Come, it's best not to keep her waiting," Nyras said, turning to face the group who stood rooted to the spot.

          They were left with no choice but to follow, though often they lagged behind as they turned their heads to stare at the magnificent creature that stood patiently at the edge of town. By now, people had begun to fill the streets, word having spread fast. They clamored to see the dragon for themselves, voices hushed in reverent awe, but all stepped aside to let the four leading them through.

          “It’s . . . the good dragon, right?” Kanji eventually asked, growing more and more nervous as they approached the road.

          “If she was a bad dragon, there wouldn’t be a town anymore,” Korval put in, grimacing in annoyance as the marshy ground sucked at his boot.

          “Tiruviel is a very nice dragon!” Tirin added, hopping from one cobblestone to another like a child splashing through puddles. Then, with a more lascivious smirk, he said, “And pretty easy on the eyes when she’s in human form, too!~”

          “One would think you’d have learned your lesson the last time you said that,” Rhysana commented with a taunting smile.

          “That’s why I said it now, when we’re out of earshot!” Tirin replied.

          The other three rolled their eyes, faces a cross between amusement and exasperation. They were taking all of this in incredibly easy stride, a stride he found himself envying. They made it seem so easy to get over everything, no matter what it was. It just rolled off their shoulders like water down a duck’s back.

          But Yu knew their desensitized reactions had to do with such things being occurrences not unheard of or even uncommon in this world. Even the bad things, as horrible as they were, could happen at the drop of a hat. They’d learned that last night . . .

He honestly wasn’t sure if that immunity was something he wanted for himself, however. As nice as it would be, it felt wrong to be able to just . . . ignore a tragedy like that.

          His ability to keep his sullenness hidden behind a neutral mask must have been slipping, as someone touched his elbow.

          “You okay, man?” Yosuke asked, eyes glimmering with concern, “You look upset.”

          Yu felt a flicker of surprise that Yosuke was able to look away from the dragon long enough to notice his discomfort, but it quickly changed to a soft flush of gladness.

          But as for Yosuke’s concerned question, all he could do was shrug, “It’s just . . .” he paused, eyes passing over the four in front of them. Then he shook his head, “It’s nothing. I’m sorry if I worried you.”

          Yosuke didn’t look convinced, but relented with a nod, “If you say so . . .”

          There was no point in bothering him or anyone with his worries, not when those worries were no doubt on everyone else’s minds already. It would just be rehashing the trauma they’d all experienced, and do nothing to alleviate the stress. That didn’t mean there wouldn’t be a time and place to talk about it. But it wasn’t here . . .

          His eyes traveled back to the dragon as they began to ascend up the hill, the glitter of her scales almost blinding as they drew nearer. Her own gaze had not strayed from them, the weight of her stare prickling against his skin and making him shudder. The power behind those molten eyes . . . she truly must be ancient to have amassed so much.

          Then she suddenly vanished.

          Yu stopped walking, staring in utter bafflement at the space where the dragon used to be, “What-?”

          “What?!” several other voices chorused in unison behind him.

          “She’s gone. She’s gone-where’d she go?!” Chie shouted, mouth hanging open and pointing a shaking finger where the dragon had been.        

          “It’s fine!” Rhysana called out to them, waving them down, “She’s still up there, I promise.”

          “She has simply shifted into a form more suited for discourse,” Nyras told them.

          “I know I am not an expert when it comes to these supernatural dealings, but is shape-shifting supposed to be so . . . abrupt?” Naoto asked, glancing to Nyras before looking back to the empty space.

           “Were you expecting something a bit flashier?” Rhysana asked her, smiling and flicking a stray piece of hair over her shoulder.

          “N-not necessarily,” Naoto said, only to break off as Rhysana began to laugh.

          “Aw, you’re precious!” she trilled, smiling.

Naoto blushed a bit, self-consciously pulling her hat down.

“Rhysana . . .” Nyras said warningly.

The woman merely focused her mirthful gaze on her, “You’re precious too.”

Nyras only rolled her eyes and shook her head.

The hill gave way to flat ground as they approached he road, the marsh-lined causeway deserted save for a single figure standing about twenty feet down the way.

She was beautiful. Long, lustrous black hair tumbled down her shoulders all the way to the floor, the silken locks like whorls of spun ebony. Her skin was fair and as unblemished as freshly fallen snow, yet seemed to glow with a warmth not unlike that of a low-burning fire. She was robed in a dress of sun streaked amber, the skirt rippling and sending shades of gold dancing over the fabric. She turned to them as they approached, golden eyes beholding them with a stare as heavy and enthralling as her dragon form, and Yu had to force himself to keep going. But it felt like an anvil was placed upon his shoulders the closer they came, and when they stood before her, he had to swallow back the lump rising in his throat. He wasn’t afraid. Far, far from it. But the power of her presence seemed to enfold the entire road, as heavy as tarp and as warm as a kotatsu, comforting and overwhelming all at once.

And when she spoke, it was with a voice as rich as velvet, chords running deep with wisdom, awe-inspiring and wondrous to listen to as she held her arms up to them, “Hail, Champions. Friends. I hope the road has treated you well.”

The four she spoke to bowed in a show of high respect, staying like that four almost ten seconds before rising again to face her. But himself and his friends just stared in slack-jawed amazement. Yu was only half aware of Tiruviel's use of the word 'champions.

Rhysana only smiled, “You’ll have to excuse them, a lot of this is pretty new.”

Tiruviel merely inclined her head, wearing patience like a cloak as she waited for them to continue.

“You wished to speak with us, Tiruviel?” Nyras questioned, head lifted and shoulders squared like a soldier before her captain.

“I did,” Tiruviel replied, nodding. She smiled then, a radiant look that glowed like the shadows of her dress, “To bring you a royal invitation! The Grand Assembly is being held in Arvorod two weeks from today on the eclipse, and Queen Edda has asked you to make an appearance.”

Yu had no idea what a 'Grand Assembly' was, but at the elated looks on Rhysana's and Tirin's faces, he guessed it was something good.

 "The Grand Assembly! I've been keeping my ears open, but I had no idea it was happening so soon!" Rhysana cried, clapping her hands together joyfully. Closing her eyes, she leaned back and sighed, sounding wistful, "I can almost hear the music now!"

"And the dancing! And the _food!_ " Tirin exclaimed, practically hopping in delight. With a sly elbow to Rhysana's side, he added with a devilish smile, "And the lovely company!~"

Rhysana grinned in reply, a devious sparkle appearing in her eyes, "Not to mention all the gossip that will be going around! Hm, I wonder what juicy tidbits we'll hear this year!"

"Same bet like before, Rhys?" Tirin asked her, placing his hands on his hips.

The woman flipped a lock of hair over her shoulder while bracing the other hand against her hip, and Yu could almost say she was posturing, "Always! And this year, I'll win!~"

Tiruviel softly cleared her throat, "The Queen also requests that you comport yourself with a degree of nobility in the presence of the royal dignitaries should you attend."

Rhysana's and Tirin's faces fell.

"Really, the Grand Assembly?" Korval asked, hooking his thumb against his belt, eyebrows slightly raised in quite surprise, "Its happening two weeks from now?"

"Well, we have been in the Underdark for some time now. I'm not surprised we're only just learning this," Nyras told him, idly brushing a folded part of her hood back into place.

"The announcement itself was made three weeks ago," Tiruviel said, "To give the other kingdoms time to prepare their entourages. Now, I expect I can give the Queen an affirmative reply on your behalf?"

"Of course!" Rhysana replied immediately, Tirin nodding firmly beside her.

"I expect the vast majority of the royal houses expect us to be present. Considering that, I don't believe we really have much choice," Nyras said slowly, crossing her arms.

Korval grunted, "Nobles . . ."

"The landed gentry do enjoy their political games," Tiruviel stated amusedly, mirth flashing in her eyes like a radiant star, "But you stand for something above even that, as Endrivan well knows. They won't trouble you overmuch. Now . . ."

The dragon-turned-woman looked to them, and Yu's spine went rigid, "What exact trouble have you stirred up lately?"

 "Ah, of course, this meeting would be about more than just an invitation," Nyras said.

"Of course," Tiruviel replied, glancing Nyras' way, "Any would be curious over such a phenomenon. But first . . ." her eyes refocused on them, irises as pure as liquid gold, "Tell me, what are your names children?"

The four before them stepped aside so they were all in full view of the dragon, and for once, Yu didn't know what to do. Do you just . . . say hi to a dragon? Was that acceptable?

"Go on," Rhysana assured them softly, "She won't bite."

Well, she didn't have those giant teeth capable of biting anymore . . . but Yu reckoned that could change in an instant if she so desired. But no time like the present, and best not to keep her waiting.

Clearing his throat, he bowed to her, "Yu Narukami. Its an honor to meet you."

Honor worked, right?

His friends all fell in line as well, politely (and somewhat quickly) giving the great dragon their names.

"Yosuke Hanamura. U-um, nice to meet you," Yosuke stuttered a bit, and he quickly tried to make up for it with a short bow.

"Yukiko Amagi," Yukiko said softly, bowing as well, though her usually graceful movements were hampered by the armor.

Chie swallowed as the dragon's attention switched to her, "C-Chie Satonaka. Nice to met you. _Meet_ you! Uh . . ."

Tiruviel only smiled at her patiently before turning to the next person, who happened to be Kanji. The boy scratched the back of his head until he realized what he was doing and sharply pulled it away, bowing awkwardly, "Kanji Tatsumi," under his breath, he muttered, "God, this is weird . . . "

"Naoto Shirogane," Naoto said, the most composed out of any of them, "And it is an honor."

Rise went next, looking timid under the dragon's gaze, "R-Rise Kujikawa."

And lastly was Teddie, who looked unusually humble as he stepped forward, waving slightly, "And I'm Teddie. It's nice to meet you, Ms. Tiruviel."

The dragon nodded, "A pleasure as well. But so timid you seem. Surely you know you are in no danger."

"Its not that we don't know that," Yu said, finding his voice again, "It's just that where we're from, we . . . don't exactly talk to a lot of dragons."

"You are from another world, I assume," Tiruviel said calmly, and Yu's eyes widened in surprise. How did she . . . ?

Tiruviel noted their shock and patiently explained, "Other worlds apart from our own are not uncommon knowledge here. However, for you to bear so striking a similarity to ones who already exist, that is the truly peculiar thing in this tale. Tell me, how did you come to be here?"

"We . . . don't know," he replied solemnly. His friends faces became downcast as well.

"I found them in the Underdark," Tirin said after a moment, lacing his hands behind his head and leaning his weight on the ball of his right foot.

"And Tirin sensed a great deal of portal magic in the area where he found them. But that's about all we know so far," Rhysana explained after him.

"Portal magic?" Tiruviel echoed. A flare of thought entered her eyes, and she asked, "Was this portal the only one you encountered?"

Nyras' face became grim, "It is not the only portal we've encountered, but it is the only one pertaining to this mystery."

"And what about this other portal?" Tiruviel inquired persistently, much to everyone's growing puzzlement.

Rhysana glanced at Yu and his friends before looking back to Tiruviel, "We . . . encountered one last night. A pair of demons came through. We took care of them, but they did some damage before we could finish them off for good."

Yu heard his friends shuffle their feet where they stood, a despondent cloud descending upon them.

"So that is why there is a shadow over this town . . ." Tiruviel breathed, gazing down to the stone buildings below. Her eyes were tight, lips pressed into a firm line like she'd just tasted something unpleasant, something clearly bothering her. Then, she asked, "Am I right in assuming this portal had no point of origin or any trace of a summoning?"

Shock flitted over everyone's faces. But then Nyras, eyes becoming shadowed with consternation, took the lead, "How did you know?"

Tiruviel's eyes became grim, "Because this is not the first time such an occurrence has happened," she gestured with her chin to the lake, no doubt sensing the shocked stares at her back, "All around the lake, portals have been appearing, as sporadic and random as a memphit. Some lead to the Lower Planes, others to the Elemental, and some still to the Planes above, but nowhere for any of them is there an identifiable cause. As you can imagine, it's starting to draw concern."

"Are you serious? This is happening everywhere?" Korval demanded, fingers curling as if in anticipation of a fight.

"Enough that it has spread the army thin. It is why I have been patrolling the lake more frequently than I usually do," Tiruviel explained, looking back to them, "I can get to places far faster than a regiment, and stop potential threats before than can do serious harm. Queen Edda already has people looking into it, but this may be a case where the champions will be needed again."

"If what you say is true and these are not isolated incidents, that may very well be the case," Nyras agreed, placing a curled finger against her chin. She glanced at Yu, "Given the criteria, this phenomenon may also be responsible for your displacement."

"You really think so?" Yosuke asked hopefully.

"Its possible. But we need to look into it further first before we can decide for sure," Nyras replied.

A thoughtful silence fell over them, Yu musing over the possibility. She could very well be right, he realized. But that didn't explain how to go about fixing it and getting back home. And it was worrying that there arrival might be a portent to something worse . . .

Then, a timid voice spoke up, " . . . Are more people gonna get hurt?"

Everyone looked at Teddie, who was staring at his feet with morose and troubled eyes. Yu opened his mouth, only to feel the comforting words he was about to say die in his throat. If this really was happening everywhere . . . then it was very possible more people would. He couldn't bring himself to lie like that. Teddie might be naive and childish at times, but he wasn't stupid.

Everyone else had realized the same, gloomy expressions dominating, and everything seemed to grow darker even though there was not a cloud in sight. He briefly noticed the four look between themselves, but not a one offered up assurances that the people by the lakeside would be safe. They were too realistic for that.

It wasn't until Rhysana spoke out that the silence was broken, "Maybe . . . if these portals are as random as you say they are, then maybe they'd be better off with you, Tiruviel."

Yu's head shot up at that, eyes widening with confusion.

"And why would you say that?" Tiruviel asked, tilting her head slightly to the right.

Nyras seemed to catch on to what Rhysana meant quick, "You can take them to Arvorod. They'll be safer there than anywhere else, even with us."

Korval nodded slowly in agreement, but Tirin pursed his lips, crossing his arms, "Arvorod is a pretty safe city, but they aren't gonna learn anything that way."

Rhysana whispered something to him, sounding terse, and the gloaming sighed. But he said nothing more.

Their discussion was only sensible, Yu knew that. But for some reason, Yu found his heart sinking, and with a start he realized it was because he didn't _want_ to go to Arvorod. It may be safe, and it was true he didn't want to encounter another demon anytime soon (preferably never again), but this world was strange and daunting even _with_ their counterparts. To face it alone seemed . . . overwhelming.

And it soon became apparent that he wasn't the only one, as Yosuke began to protest, "Don't we get a say in this? This is _our_ lives we're talking about!"

"Yeah, we should get a choice!" Chie said as well, eyebrows furrowed together stubbornly.

Nyras sighed as if she were dealing with a petulant child, "I understand it may seem unfair, but we are only trying to-"

"Wait."

Nyras stopped talking as Tiruviel placed a hand on her shoulder, standing so she could look their group over with calm eyes. But there was something else there, too, something probing as she spoke, "Surely, you must understand it would be safer. Why would you choose to stay?"

To everyone's surprise, it was Kanji who spoke first, shoulders tensed in a confrontational way, "Who cares if its safer? Point is, is we ain't just some junk you can toss around wherever you want!"

Yukiko nodded, eyes hardening, "We have a right to decide for ourselves on what to do."

"Besides, we were supposed to start learning from you, right?" Rise put the question to the other four, "So that way we could defend ourselves . . ."

"And who's to say Arvorod will be any safer?" Naoto put in, "You said these portals were random, which means there's just as much of a chance of one appearing in the city as anywhere else."

"I know you mean well, but with all due respect," Yu said, a steely resolve rising in his heart, "This is going to be our decision."

Tiruviel listened to each of their pleas with a calm, placid demeanor, but with every word spoken, a smile grew and grew on her face. When they finished, she nodded as if deciding something with finality before casually brushing a hand over the skirt of her dress, "Well, I think that settles it, then."

Yu blinked, "What?"

Tiruviel's smile grew a touch bigger, "A person who truly wished for the safety of the city would have jumped at the first opportunity. But you have not, and I have seen enough to know when a human's heart desires to remain. A decision that goes against that desire is always met with uncertainty and opposition, however unintentional. And is opposition not what you have just done?"

Yu thought, but he already knew she was right. He hadn't wanted to go to Arvorod. But was the danger of the road truly what he wanted instead? Especially if his friends lives were on the line?

 He turned to his friends, and an unspoken agreement passed between them with every gaze he met, the slight nods sent his way sealing their decision in steel. Tiruviel was right, the choice had already been made. They didn't want to go either. And however dangerous the road ahead would be, they'd face it together.

"You're right," Yu finally said, facing the dragon again, "It is settled. Thank you, Tiruviel-sama."

"But-!" Nyras' protests were cut off by Tiruviel's raised hand.

"I know, Arvorod is a secure city, and should they go they would be well looked after. But I cannot change what their hearts have already decided," Tiruviel told her patiently, "Besides, who am I to take budding apprentices away from their masters?"

Nyras sighed, but relented under the dragon's firm stare, "Very well. I hope you don't come to regret this decision."

"And don't expect us to go easy on you! You've chosen to train with us, and that is exactly what you're going to get!" Rhysana trilled with a smile. But she looked much happier than she had a minute ago, and Yu had to wonder if their choice to stay met more to her than he'd realized.

Then, Tirin spoke, "Are you sure 'every' heart is okay with this decision? Because your cub hasn't said anything."

It took him a moment to realize he was talking about Teddie, and when he looked, he realized the bear still looked downcast. He shuffled from foot to foot when everyone's eyes landed on him, twining his fingers together and casting his gaze to the floor.

"Teddie, what's wrong?" Rise asked in concern, taking a step towards him.

He didn't respond immediately, and when he did, he was quiet, "You said . . . you said more portals could happen, right? What if . . . what is one happens and more demons come out? W-what if what happened last night h-happens to you?" he sniffed, tears welling in eyes as his fingers tightened, voice cracking, "W-wouldn't it be better to go somewhere where it won't happen? Where nobody would get hurt?"

Yu winced, realizing too late he hadn't taken in everyone's opinion like he should have. And it didn't surprise him that Teddie was against their choice, and the sympathetic expressions around him told him everyone else knew the same. Last night's attack had affected him the worst, and of course it would shape his decisions! It was stupid to think otherwise, and he shoudl have known better . . .

But before he could speak any sort of reassurances, an elbow suddenly pressed down on bear's head with a light _thunk_.

"Ah!" Teddie squeaked.

Tirin, who was now leaning on the poor boy, braced his other hand on his hip and said almost nonchalantly, "You do that, then you won't get any stronger you know."

"H-huh?"

"I mean, you can go, no one's gonna stop you," Tirin continued like he hadn't spoken, waving his hand to Tiruviel, "But then what? If something happens in the city, you won't be able to do anything. Do you actually want to be that powerless all the time?"

"N-no, I don't!" Teddie tried to straighten up, but Tirin's elbow kept him down.

Nearby, he heard Rhysana give a low growl, " _Tirin._ "

Before she could storm towards him, however, Korval grabbed her by the shoulder and kept her still, shaking his head. There was something in his eyes . . . something not too dissimilar from understanding.

And maybe . . . Yu understood what Tirin was trying to do too. And that was why he kept his distance.

"Then do something about it!" Tirin said, looking at him pointedly, "Yes, it's scary. And yes, it sucks. But if you don't do something, then who will?"

Peace made, he finally stepped back and let Teddie stand. The bear was quiet again, but this time, it was a thoughtful silence.

There was the soft rustle of silk, and Tiruviel stepped into his line of sight, molten eyes gazing at the young boy with a flare of infinite wisdom, "The most beautiful flowers are those ones that weather the storm and the rain. And though their petals may be tarnished when the clouds finally clear, their color is more rich, their scent more fragrant, than any other flower in the world. Will you take your place among them, child? Or will you come with me?"

Teddie stared at her for a long moment, water still beaded at the corners of his eyes. Then he shook his head rapidly, yelling, "No! I wanna stay with my friends! That's where I wanna be!"

Tiruviel smiled, then leveled her gaze to the rest of them. Holding out her hand, he watched as light blossomed from her cupped palm before receding back to a weak glow that was static yet colorful, like a rainbow caught in a sprinkler's mist. Something tinkled in her hand as her fingers spread open, and Yu's jaw fell when he saw what was resting there; a small horde of radiant gemstones, tiny yet flawless, their faceted surfaces sparkling in the light.

Each one suddenly floated up, with no power to hold them other than the magic Tiruviel was no doubt weaving. One floated to him while the rest floated to the others, and he cupped his hands as the jewel came to rest in his palms. It was a tear-shaped diamond, no bigger than his thumbnail but immaculately pure, its body as clear and beautiful as ice. But it was warm against his skin, a faint, pearly glow outlining its surface, and he realized that what he was holding was in fact a tiny shard of magic.

"To you children, I give you this. If ever you are threatened by those with impure hearts, speak my name unto these stones and the power they hold will serve as your shield," Tiruviel said, letting her hand come to rest by her side.

Yu couldn't even begin to fathom how priceless such a gift must be in this world, and the only thing he could think to do was bow to show his gratitude. The others did likewise, holding the gems they'd received close.

Tiruviel accepted their thanks with a humble nod, then turned away, "Now, I believe it is about time I took my leave. I have the rest of the lake to see to, and I'd rather not keep you any longer than necessary. You still have some ways to go before you reach Arvorod. Have any of you been in touch with the rest?"

"We've sent out runners, but we intend to use more magical means of communication once we reach Bailsborough," Nyras said in reply.

Tiruviel nodded, "I see. Then, I wish you luck! And may next we meet under more sociable circumstances."

"Indeed," Nyras said, bowing respectfully.

Tiruviel began to walk, her head held as high and proud as her dragon form, the four wishing her well as she strode away. It wasn't until she stood about fifteen feet away from them that the woman suddenly vanished and was replaced by a great taloned foot of gold scales and ivory claws. The change was so sudden (and disturbingly silent) that Yu actually jumped back in fright, several of his friends crying out in alarmed surprise. Behind him, he heard someone trip and fall on their backside. The cursing that followed told him it was Yosuke.

Craning his neck up, he just caught sight of a single molten eye staring back down at him, her head so high up that standing there made him feel truly tiny and insignificant.

Then the dragon spoke, her voice as rich and as powerful as it was before, "Remember children, that though the roads ahead seem dark and foreboding, you do not walk them alone. And sooner or later, you will reach the end."

The great dragon spread her glorious wings, the sail-like protrusions casting a shadow over them, the hillside, and part of the village below, the sun a blurry orange orb behind the webbing of her wings, "Farewell friends, and may Bahamut grace you with fair winds and clear skies."

Her wings came down in a powerful flap, the wind so powerful Yu struggled to stay on his feet. With a jump that shook the earth beneath her, Tiruviel took to the skies, wings coming down again and again until she was soaring high, vanishing over the hillside and swooping to the lands beyond.

"W-whoa . . ." Yosuke mumbled after a moment, clambering back to his feet.

"Yeah . . . whoa . . ." Chie agreed slowly, watching where Tiruviel had flown.

"And that was Tiruviel. She's nice, isn't she?" Rhysana asked them, eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Y-yeah . . ." Yu said absentmindedly, staring at the sky. His eyes then fell to his hand, staring at the gem that now rested there.

"They're beautiful . . ." he heard Yukiko breath, staring at the small ruby sitting in her palm, a dot of crimson against her skin.

"Those are very special gifts. Keep them close to you," Nyras said, gesturing to the stones.

Yu nodded, curling his fingers around the gem in his hand. He had no doubt that this gem was special. And the magic imbued within it, the warmth that seeped into his hand . . . it was making him feel safer already.

Behind him, someone spoke, "Hey Ted, you alright?"

He turned around to see that Yosuke had wandered over to the bear's side, waiting for his answer with a furrowed brow. Teddie looked at him, then quickly reached up to wipe at his eyes, nodding, "Uh-huh. I'll be bearific so long as I'm with everyone. But . . ." his voice became more demure, "Can we be careful? Just . . . in case?"

"Of course we'll be careful, Teddie!" Rise said immediately, "We always are."

"Everythin'll be fine, you'll see," Kanji reassured him.

"Yeah, you're worrying too much," Yosuke added, nudging him with an elbow.

"We'll take care of one another, like we always do," Yu said to him, ruffling his hair affectionately, "Promise."

 Teddie leaned into it happily, and he smiled this time, taking the words to heart. Seeing him that way made Yu's own spirits lift a little, but still, the dark cloud of anxiety flickered on the edges of his heart. They'd chosen to stay. But had that been the right choice?

Only time would tell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On the road again next time. What will our heroes encounter?
> 
> Stay tuned to find out! ;)


	17. The Legends of Endrivan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Har-har, road trip!
> 
> Enjoy.

        The road before them was long and arduous, looping into a long tendril in the distance, the dirt path lined by a single worn, wooden fence on its right and nothing more. It was in a state of poor disrepair, the wooden slates rotting away in some places and no doubt infested with termites. On either side, grasslands stretched out around them as far as the eye see could see, patches of heather and springy shoots of cotton grass cropping up from time to time as they walked. They traveled inland, the lake growing smaller the farther they went, but the higher elevation they traveled at meant they could still see a sliver of blue behind them. The sun beat down on their backs, the sky clear save for some clouds gathering in the distance opposite the lake. The unchanging landscape, coupled the hours they'd spent walking, made their journey seem to stretch on into forever. By now, he and his friends were simply ambling along mindlessly, uncomfortable, tired, and doubtlessly wishing for a break. The sword he'd been given had grown progressively heavier at his side as they trudged on, and it was only the hours they'd spent in the tv world that kept it from being unbearable. The water that was passed around from time to time helped, but it wasn't long before he was feeling thirsty again, the relief a temporary one thanks to the exercise. Rhysana sort of took their minds off things by regaling them with stories and epic tales, and while they were all certainly very interesting (his favorite was about a bard and his were-cat friend stopping an assassination plot), even they couldn't heal exhaustion. Sweat continuously trickled down his neck and back, his armor stifling, and if it wasn't for the continuous wind that traveled over the moorland, he would have collapsed into some puddle somewhere for an indefinite amount of time.

          Oh, that sounded really nice, actually . . .

          Behind him, he heard Bone let out a sharp whinny, stamping his hooves against the dirt path. Korval patted the horse's great flank, unafraid of the beast's agitation. How he wasn't boiling in that armor of his, Yu would never know . . .

          "Are we almost there?" he heard Yosuke ask, looking miserable. His shoulders sagged, and more often than not, he would reach up to wipe away sweat beading against his brow, "Because I don't think I can take much more of this."

          "Oh, come now, we've only been on the road for four hours!" Rhysana chided him, "And this is really good weather for walking! You can manage a few more, can't you?"

          "Yeah Yosuke, it's not that bad!" Chie, the only one who was still walking with her head up, looked at the brunette, "Come on, stop being a baby! Just think of it as training!"

          "Yeah, well, most of us don't _do_ that, okay? Most of us don't wake up at ungodly hours in the morning just to run around pretending we're Bruce Lee!" Yosuke snapped, patience having worn out ages ago.

          "Well, at least some of us have aspirations other than being the Junes whipping boy!" Chie shot back just as sharply.

          Before the two could really go at it, however, Rhysana suddenly hopped between them, holding her hands up in a 'halt' position, "Alright, children, that's enough."

          The two glared at each other for a second longer, then pointedly turned their backs and crossed their arms. Ah, now this was familiar . . .

          Yukiko, after glancing at her friend with pursed lips, looked to Rhysana, "But still . . . do you think we could stop for a little break?"

          "Even a five minute one sounds good right now," Rise commented. Scratching at the skin beneath the collar of her vest, she added with a huff, "Ugh, I swear, this armor is trying to suffocate me!"

          "You'll get used to it the longer ya wear it, so just tough it out!" Korval called from the back, starting to look mildly annoyed. He mumbled something else, but that Yu didn't quite catch.

          "Easy for you to say . . ." he heard Kanji grumble under his breath, pulling at his collar.

          "We'll be there soon!" Tirin assured them with a smirk. Then he added, "And by soon, I mean about three hours from now!"

          Groans were shared, shoulders sagging even more.

          "I normally would not protest, but if you mean to build our endurance, a better way to do that _would_ be to have brief intermissions between exercises," Naoto put in, who had taken off her hat and now carried it under her arm, "Otherwise it could do more harm to our bodies than good."

          "Normally, an intermission is exactly what we would have, but as important as improving your physical stamina is, we have to press for speed," Nyras said. She pointed to the distant clouds, which layered the horizon with thick, dark streaks, "Those clouds are the beginnings of a storm, one that will reach this area before nightfall. But it is still far. If we do not tarry and keep our pace, we can make it to Bailsborough before the worst of it hits us."

          Yu looked to the clouds, truly wondering if it could be worse than traveling in this heat. But then, he'd eventually get sick of tromping through the rain as well, so scratch that.

          "Will it still hit us before we reach the town?" he questioned.

          "It very well could, but only the eaves of the clouds will be our concern. The worst of it we can avoid if we keep going," Nyras informed him.

          "I see . . ." he hummed thoughtfully, pursing his lips together.

          "I know that look. What are you planning?" Yosuke asked him, eyebrow lifting in suspicion.

          Yu gave him along, steady look. Then, ". . . If the storm hits and I collapse into the first puddle that forms, don't question it."

          Yosuke's eyebrows furrowed together, but when he opened his mouth to (try) and reply, nothing came out. He closed it and looked away, then suddenly looked back and opened it again with a finger pointed his way, paused, then shook his head and looked away without saying anything.

          "We'll be hitting the edges of Valethorn Forest soon, so will have shade then," Rhysana added a bit more positively, "And a fresh supply of berries!"

          "Berries?" Yukiko asked, "Like, the kind you can eat?"

          "Oh yeah, those kinds of berries," Rhysana replied with a smile, "Lots of berry bushes line the road that leads to Bailsborough. We can pick them right off the bush!" Closing her eyes, she held up her index finger and said, "You know, legend says that there are some kinds of berries in Valethorn that can prolong you're life if you mix them with the right amount of ambrosia and water!"

          "That sounds . . . interesting," Naoto said, not sounding too terribly interested at all.

          "Eh, why waste good berries on some stupid rumor-potion when you can just eat 'em," Korval said, scoffing slightly as if the mere thought of it made him unhappy.

          "I am getting pretty hungry, but I don't know. I mean, is that safe?" Chie questioned, looking unsure.

          "Why wouldn't it be?" Tirin asked her, "You just pick the ones you want, pop them in your mouth, and let them take you to a sweet, juicy bliss!"

          "But what about food-borne illnesses? Pesticides may not be an issue, but there are plenty of micro-organisms that can . . ." Naoto trialed off at the utterly clueless looks she received, then let out a small sigh, "Nevermind."

          " . . . anyway," Rhysana continued in her place, "You'll be able to see the tree fringe when we cross that next hill. After that, it's about a two hour walk."

          "Is Bailsborough inside the forest or somethin'?" Kanji asked.

          "Mhm, just on the edge of Arvorod's border," Rhysana explained to him.

          "Border with what?" Yosuke asked, "Another country?"

          "No. Arvorod is bordered by the Vanguard Kingdom of Kennebrecht," Nyras explained, running a hand down Aira's neck.

          "Huh? I thought Arvorod was the only kingdom here," Chie put in, puzzled.

          "Actually, you'd be wrong," Rhysana said. Another glimmer appeared in her eyes, one that only shone when she was about to tell a story, "You see, Endrivan used to be a single empire, ruled by the Grand Emperor Endrivan himself. Its glory spread from the Spirit Wilds to the east to the Opalite Sea to the west, and many on Andalar considered it the pinnacle of martial, mystical and political power. But then, one day, a calamity no one can remember struck the Empire, razing the northern lands to the ground and leaving the Grand Emperor dead. After that, the lesser lords of the Emperor's former court began to vie for the crown, and eventually split apart into several kingdoms that warred with each other for many years in a conflict known as the War of Broken Succession. The colonies the Empire once controlled broke away from their masters, ceding further discord throughout the continent. Years of bloodshed followed. But eventually, a greater threat rose up from the ashes of the northern lands; a rift to the Abyss itself. When it became apparent that this threat would not leave, the monarchs of the lands met and signed a treaty of non-aggression so they could focus their efforts on the demon threat instead. This treaty was known as the Evangelic Truce, marking the time where the era of the Successor Kingdoms began, and where the legacy of the Empire was finally forged into something worthwhile!"

          Everyone was listening with rapt attention by this point. Of course, this land would have a rich history, and Yu found himself wishing for more details on the events that made this country what it was today. They'd also rounded the crest of the next hill, and ahead, Yu could make out the distant line of growing trees, the path being swallowed in their emerald depths.

          "But, to be a bit more succinct with the information you need . . ." Nyras interrupted, ignoring the scowl Rhysana gave her, "There are eight kingdoms in total; Arvorod, Kennebrecht, Riftvale, Kolgore, Steinhalten, Fessix, Rothvigot, and Stentlant. Each bear their own strengths and weaknesses, and follow their own unique codes and monarchies. Although, to tell you each would take quite a long time."

          "So, do they all rule together? Like a big royal family?" Teddie asked, ears perked with interest.

          Nyras let out a short laugh, "No, not quite. In fact, many of the current monarchs do not particularly care for one another. But they did once share a goal, and that has bred some level of kinship at least."

          "Goal? What kind of goal?" Chie asked.

          "And what about the northern lands? What happened to them?" Yukiko added intently, eyes gleaming.

          "And what was that about demons?" Yosuke inquired.

          "Hey, slow down!" Rhysana laughed, "One at a time!"

          "It's not like we ain't got any time," Korval commented, a touch of an amused smile on his lips.

          "No one knows what happened to the northern lands," Nyras explained, "Accounts of the time have either been lost or are so vague they are hardly credible sources. Some say the shadows of death loomed over this land then, and has since been sealed, but that is merely a myth."

          "A myth? Huh, that's kinda funny," Rise said, "Since you live in a world with magic, you'd think myths wouldn't be a thing."

          "Of course we have them! Myths are some of the best things about our world, because while the myth could be the truth, something just as great but still completely different could be just as true as well!" Rhysana said, leaning close to Rise and clapping her hands together, "Like the Grand Emperor Endrivan! No one actually knows if he really existed, or was just a spiritual figure in the Empire's own folklore. The possibilities are endless!"

          "But what happened afterward? You said the Empire fell and something rose from the ashes, and that it dealt with demons," Yu questioned, eager for more information. Hey, this was really interesting, and got his mind off of how hot he was, "Or is that a myth too?"

          It could be that the heat was getting to his head, but he thought he saw Nyras' shoulders stiffen.

          "That . . . is not a myth," she said. She reached up as she spoke, and at first glance, Yu thought she was going to grab her crossbow. But then her hand stopped halfway, tips merely brushing the grip before running her hand over her hood, smoothing away the wrinkles, "To the north, there is a great scar of black and corrupted land this country knows as the World Wound. It runs through the heart of the country, splitting the northern and southern lands apart, and has been a place of battle for many centuries."

          "Why?" Yukiko asked.

          "Because the World Wound was a rift between the Material Plane and the Abyss," Nyras continued, "Hordes of demons would pour from it and attack the mortals of this realm, killing any who stood in their path. Many cities near the borders of the unscarred lands were lost before the kingdoms signed the treaty, but even with their united forces, they would wage war with the demons for many years. These wars gave rise to the Crusades, holy campaigns meant to win back the land they'd lost to the demons and find a way to seal the rift for good. The first three succeeded. But the ones following them all failed."

          This was a serious topic, Yu realized. But then, war always was, and he wasn't even going to ponder what a war against _demons_ must be like.

          The wind was also picking up a bit, blustering over the grassy moors in sweeps rather than gentle brushes, the grasses rippling like a wave.

          " . . . you've mentioned this World Wound before," Naoto began after a moment, "Is it . . . still a current problem?"

          "Not anymore, thankfully," Rhysana said, face lifting, "In fact, the World Wound was closed three years ago!"

          "That's good to know," Yosuke said, looking relieved. Then, a more curious spark appeared in his eyes, "How was it closed? Do you know?"

          "Oh, everyone knows who did it," Tirin commented as he spun around and began walking backwards. Yu grew a little suspicious of the devious smirk he sent their way, "A dashing group of heroes everyone calls 'The Champions of the Seventh Crusade'. They're legends."

          Yu furrowed his brow together, the title striking a chord. Champions . . . ?

          "Who are they? I mean, if they're legends, you gotta know, right?" Yosuke continued, several other nodding along in interest. Except Naoto, who's eyes had gotten quite wide. Like she'd just realized something . . .

          Wait. _Wait!_

          Yu's mouth flapped stupidly, "You-?!"

          "I'll give you a hint," Rhysana cut him off, eyes sparkling with amusement, "You're talking to them."

          The silence was a thunderstruck one, punctuated by an actual and appropriate boom of distant thunder that rolled across the sky. He'd known that they'd done something to earn the awe he'd seen in the eyes of the townsfolk, but . . . well, he really shouldn't say he hadn't expected something like this, because what else could have won it except something as epic as closing a freaking demon gate and ending a centuries long war?

          Not to say he and his friends hadn't done epic things, but they . . . hadn't exactly been recognized for it and probably never would be. Not that it was a problem.

          Then Tirin giggled, grinning, "I think we broke them."

          "Told ya we shoulda just told 'em upfront," Korval commented from the back, but there was a definite chuckle in his voice that was very poorly covered up.

          Nyras nodded slightly, "Perhaps that would have been better . . ."

          Rhysana shrugged, "Oops?"

          "You're . . . the champions?" Yosuke squeaked, looking mildly overwhelmed, "Holy _shit_ . . ."

          "Adventurin' group of heroes . . ." he heard Kanji whisper dazedly, "But their actually heroes . . . wow . . ."

          "You actually did that? For real?" Chie asked, and at Nyras' nod, excitement lit up in her eyes, the girl bunching her arms close to her body in delight and shouting, "Oh my _god_ , that's so _cool!_ Ha! How'd you do it? Come on, you gotta tell us what happened!"

          "Yeah, seriously, start spillin'!" Kanji spoke up quickly.

          "Did you close the rift with magic? Was it inside the Abyss? Did you have to fight through an army of demons to get to it? Oh, well, I guess that last's one's a little obvious . . ." Yukiko trailed off a bit awkwardly, blushing a bit.

          "Was there love? Epic romance?" Teddie let out a sudden gasp, "Were there _smooches?!_ "

          "Wouldn't you like to know," Tirin said, laughing at the indignant pout Teddie gave him.

          "Actually, I want to know too!" Rise put in, looking at Rhysana for an answer, "Please!"

          Rhysana laughed, "Come on, I know you're all excited, but you really should calm down."

          "Calm down?" Yosuke started, "How can we calm down, we literally just found out you're apparently all living legends!"

          "Aw, that's sweet of you to say," Rhysana commented, but Yu was fairly sure she was teasing him.

          "This certainly explains everyone's disposition towards you," Naoto mused, eyes thoughtful, "And why Tiruviel referred to you as 'champions'."

          "With all that, we really should have seen something like this coming," Yu mumbled.

          "Are we all champions, too?" Yukiko asked, looking both intent and impatient for the answer, "The rest of us, I mean?"

          "I think that would be obvious, wouldn't it?" Rhysana replied smoothly, smiling in amusement at everyone's excited glances.

          It really only made sense, Yu realized. But knowing his counterpart was out their somewhere as a legendary hero of the people and savior of Endrivan was . . . a pretty cool thing to know.

          "Come on, tell us more!" Chie demanded persistently, wanting answers.

          "Seriously, don't leave us hanging like that!" Yosuke insisted, leaning in so he could hear every word.

          "Hm, I don't know," Rhysana said teasingly, "If I told you everything, it'd spoil the identities of everyone else!"

          "You know what, who cares?" Yosuke finally shouted, "I mean, its gonna be a while before we even see them probably, and frankly, I _want_ to know who my champion counterpart is!"

          Chie scoffed, "Just so you can stroke your ego, right?"

          "Oh come on, I know you wanna know the same!" Yosuke accused her, glaring.

          "You could give us hints!" Yukiko cut in before the two could fight, eyes sparkling with enthusiasm, "That'd be fun!"

          Yu couldn't deny, he really wanted to know the details. Like, really badly.

          "It is a long story, just so you know," Nyras informed them.

          "We have two hours before the next town," Yu said, making his decision, "Story or riot."

          Rhysana chuckled, "Okay, okay. I'd prefer to do this at a campfire, but since you're so insistent . . ." she placed a thoughtful to her chin, closing her eyes and humming, "Hm, where should we start?"

          "What do ya mean 'where do we start', you've told this story hundreds of times," Korval said, eyebrow raised in her direction.

          "Its called 'effect', Korval, a most basic bard tactic. Now let me do my job," Rhysana replied evenly, and maybe a bit mockingly. Korval huffed.

          While they spoke, the forest yawned before them, filled with birches and elms and other temperate trees whose green foliage clustered thickly at their tops. The path was flanked by two enormous oaks, their gnarled roots sweeping over the churned ground and their interlocking branches forming an arch of leaves over the road. The fence ended where the trees began, all signs of human interference officially ending as nature took sway, the sunlight fading to a dim amber glow within as the light failed to penetrate the thick canopy. Only a few small patches of bright light made it through but they were scant and small, and with every gust of wind they would flicker and become interspersed with shadow, like light through the liquid surface of water. In comparison to the open moorland behind them, the forest looked very confined and ominous indeed, even though the only sound were the pleasant songs of the birds and the chattering of other harmless forest animals.

          . . . This was not the tv world, he shouldn't feel nervous about a couple of trees.

          Just then, another gust blew at them, but this was much stronger than before. It tore at his hair and whipped at his face, shaking the treetops with violent force and scattering the birds that roosted there as if sweeping aside a layer of dust.

          When it died down, he heard Nyras speak, "Come on, into the trees. It will be more sheltered, especially when the rains begin."

          Yu glanced to where the clouds were, and with a start, realized they were much closer than before. It really wouldn't be long before they were over them.

          Everyone hurried into the trees, the wind petering out significantly thanks to the trunks. The leaves stilled thrashed over head, but the worst to it was off of their backs. And boy, Yu had never been more grateful for shade than he was right then.

          A sweeter scent filled his nostrils, and his stomach gave a wanting growl. Beside the road, numerous bushes dotted the ground, and growing from their branches were thick clumps of juicy looking berries. Some were a luscious red, with dimpled surfaces not unlike a raspberry, while other were smooth, small orbs of dark blue and black. Another, more odd-looking set were these purple berries growing from bushes with dark, spiny leaves, their bodies long, smooth and bearing a weird resemblance to a chili pepper. But they weren't as common as the other two.

          Smiling, Rhysana reached over and plucked a blue one from its stem, popping it into her mouth with a pleased sigh, "Mm, just as good as last time. Go on, help yourselves! There's plenty to go around."

          "I would suggest avoiding the purple berries," Nyras added, "They possess narcotic qualities if you consume too many, and that is best avoided."

          "But what about-?"

          Rhysana held up her hand, cutting Chie off, "Food first, then we'll talk. Now go on! Grab some as we walk!"

          With a keen stare, Yu examined one of the berry bushes near him. One of the red ones. Gingerly, he plucked it from its spot, the surface soft beneath his fingers as it gave way with little resistance. He rolled it between his fingers carefully, noting the small red smears staining his fingers from the juice before he shrugged and popped it into his mouth. He smiled a bit at the sweet flavor, making a pleased noise in the back of his throat as he swallowed it. Not bad.

          The others made there way around too, partaking in the fruity fare with gusto as if only just realizing how hungry they were.

          "Not bad, though it's be nice to have something else to go with it," Yosuke decided, chewing on one of the blue berries. Beside him, Teddie kept popping one small fruit after the other, clearly enjoying himself despite the stains covering his fingers. It was good to see him in higher spirits.

          "Well break some bread out as we go," Korval said from the back, urging Bone along as the great horse sniffed at the bushes.

          "That will see us until Bailsborough," Nyras agreed, patiently holding out a handful of berries to Aira, which the pretty mare demurely began to eat.

          "So, can you tell us the story now?" Rise asked before popping another berry into her mouth.

          "We just started eating!" Rhysana protested, but she was smiling, and her voice was light.

          "We can talk while we eat! It'll be like a dinner and a show sort of thing!" Chie said, taking Rise's side.

          "My my, so impatient!" Rhysana quipped with an offhand wave, placing her other hand on her hip, "You'd think I was about to tell you my deepest, darkest secrets, the way you're going on!"

          "Well, can you blame us?" Chie asked, crossing her arms and pursing her lips together.

          Rhysana smiled, "Of course not, its just fun to tease you!"

          Chie huffed, crossing her arms and turning away. Rhysana laughed.

          The exit to the moorland was getting farther now, just a speck, but the light in the first wasn't unpleasant. In fact, it was quite the opposite.

          He sadly didn't get to enjoy it for long, as Aira gave a sharp and sudden whinny, tossing her head back and stomping her hooves into the dirt. Everyone jumped, dropping what they were doing to stare at the horse as she whinnied again and jerked her head to the left.

          "Aira, what's wrong?" Nyras asked, looking alarmed. The horse met the woman's eyes, then whinnied again.

          Yu didn't know if any actual communication had passed, but Nyras' eyes darkened, and she shot a glance to her companions, " _Wer'sin in gehfarn! Wer musse un bewegan!_ "

          The response was immediate. In unison, Nyras grabbed her crossbow, loading a bolt with haste, Korval swung his hammer into his hands, air whisking around the blunted head, Tirin drew his daggers with a sharp _shing_ , and Rhysana reached to her bracelet and grasped one of the charms dangling, pulling it off in haste. Yu watched as the tiny object in her hands expanded into the familiar redwood harp he'd seen before, fitting into place perfectly. By now, he needed no clues to know that they were in danger.

          "Guys, get you're weapons out," he ordered, "Hurry!"

          Reaching to his side, he grasped the hilt of his sword and pulled it out, the blade singing as it was pulled free of its sheath. All around him, more sounds of weapons being drawn rose up, his friends arming themselves like they were told. He held his sword at his side in a way that was familiar to him, already feeling more at ease now that he was armed.

          "What's happening?" Rise asked, awkwardly holding the rapier she'd been given out in front of her.

          "We're being watched," Nyras said ominously, eyes scanning the forest growth for something he could not see.

          Yu swallowed. Just what could happen now?

          He was answered far, far too quickly, as suddenly, the trees to the left of him shook and trembled as something large shot from the undergrowth and leaped into the open, seeming to meld out of the wood like a monstrous shadow.

          Yu backpedaled as great claw came crashing down on him, blocking in just the nick of time thanks to muscle memory. But the attack sent him flying back into Yosuke, who teetered on his feet before falling over. Yu scrambled back up instantly, hearing Korval roar and Nyras shoot off a bolt, just in time to take in the creature assaulting them.

          It was huge, at least twelve feet in length and a head or so taller than himself. In form it resembled a dragon, with a sinuous, serpentine body, a long neck and tail, and a narrow muzzle lined with sharp teeth. But it had no wings, and looking closer, he saw that in place of scales was a body made of dark brown bark bearing a greenish hue. A bushy mane of twigs, leaves, branches, and vines curled around its head, a series of thorny spines running down it's back. Two backward curved horns sprouted from it's head, made of the same brown shell that coated the creature's body. It gave a hissed, beady eyes as bright as a holly berry glowing with malice, a long brown tongue flicking over it's fangs like a snake's.

          Korval was already on it, bringing his hammer down on its shoulder, the bark snapping beneath the blow. He swung again, this one clipping the creature's horn and chipping off the tip. With a furious hiss, the dragon-thing rounded on the half-orc, fangs clamping hard on his arm. A fetid green liquid began to pool out of it's mouth, dripping onto his armor and sizzling where it landed. Three more bolts lodged into it's side, chipping into the bark but otherwise not doing much as the creature raked it's claws over Korval's chest, digging into the black armor with frightening force.

          Behind the beast, a pair of daggers embedded themselves into the creature's flank, a burst of powerful acid erupting from the wounds and eating away at the creature's hide. It shrieked, bucking and lashing out with it's back claw, which succeeded in clipping Tirin in the shoulder before he could dodge, kicking up a cloud of dust in the process.

          He heard Rhysana begin to sing, a melody of fire that inflamed him to the core, burning away his fear. Scanning the battlefield, he made a quick summation of the best places to attack while taking into account there limited movement before ordering, "Alright, Yosuke, Chie, with me. We'll take it from the left. Kanji, take Ted and go at it from the right. Strike fast, then get out, no theatrics. Leave the heavy hitting to Korval and Tirin. Naoto, Yukiko, we're counting on your support."

          "But what about-?"

          Yu glanced at Rise, "I need you to watch it. Take note of where our attacks really hurt it, and what doesn't. Got it?"

          "I . . ." Rise's eyes hardened, "Got it."

          She didn't have her persona, and she had never held a rapier in her life, so this was the next best thing. Nodding once, he shouted, "Alright, let's go!"

          The creature was good and distracted by Korval, who was still pounding it with is hammer, and Tirin, who was flanking it from behind alongside Xirskam. Even Bone and Aira were doign their part, lashing at the thing with their powerful hooves. Nyras continuously pumped it with bolts, soon aided by Naoto as she took her first shot as well. But her inexperience with her new weapon showed, the bolt skimming the creature's back and bouncing off the base of one of it's spines rather than striking home like it normally would.

          But he had to focus now. Without their personas, they'd have to be extra careful and evasive. So light on his feet he remained. He darted in once, slashing at it's side before dancing out of reach. Yosuke did the same, already one of their most agile fighters and hacking at the beast with two well-aimed strikes before darting to the right to a safe distance. A bladed fan flew over his head, striking the creature in the face and leaving a gash in it's cheek.

          Chie, forgoing the staff she'd been given, opted instead for her tried and true method of kicking things into orbit, spinning round and slamming the heel of her foot into it's side. The impact traveled up her body and she stumbled back, hopping on one foot to keep weight off her injured one.

          "Damn, this thing's harder than it looks!" Chie shouted, glaring at the thing with heated eyes.

          "Guys, I don't think physical attacks really work on this thing," he heard Rise call out to them, "They're not hitting it like they should!"

          "Then we'll just have to wear it down," Yu said. It was the only option they really had, and with the emboldened spirit Rhysana's song gave him, it seemed pretty damn plausible it would work. Of course, fighting alongside a bunch of highly skilled champions helped.

          Until Rhysana's song suddenly cut out completely, to be replaced by a high, strident cry, " _Rise!_ "

          Whirling around in alarm, he saw Rhysana dart to the girl and push her aside-

          -right as an enormous, taloned claw lashed out of the trees behind them and slammed deep into Rhysana's chest. His cry constricted in his throat as the woman was sent flying, striking the ground with a painful _thud_ and a cry. Blood splattered across the dirt in as violent arc of crimson, and Yu felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise, scalp prickling with horror.

          - _He saw blood cover the ground in dark, sweeping stains, then no more as he looked away-_

          "Run! All of you, move _now!_ " Nyras' shout snapped him back to the present, but by then it was too late to move.

          The second dragon beast exactly like the first, one that had been hidden away in the forest while they fought with it's friend, rose and parted it's huge jaws, and before he or anyone else could do anything, a cone of enormous black thorns burst from the dragon's mouth, each one coated in a layer of green slime.

          Pain ripped into his arms, legs, and chest, and a pained cry tore from his throat before his vision went black. He regained conscious moments later, laying prone on his back and blearily grasping for a clue as to what had just happened. His sight continued to fuzz and fade in and out, in and out, only half-aware of the pain his body was in. More poignant than even the veritable daggers protruding from his flesh was the slow burning fire that seemed to crawl its way through his veins, a fire that would not go out. Everything seemed muted, his hearing little more than a dull ring with every other sound a muffled background of white noise. Shouts. Roars. Deep, crashing thuds as conflict raged around him . . .

          He looked to his right, seeing Naoto, Yukiko and Rise all running to them, shouting. They were alright, unharmed. He smiled deliriously, relieved.

          His vision faded.

          When it came back into focus, Rise was leaning over him, teary-eyed, lips moving, but he could barely hear what she was saying, like she was speaking through a thick wall of glass . . .

          Darkness again.

          He came too maybe seconds, maybe minutes later, he wasn't sure. His head had lolled to the left, and his blurry eyes found Yosuke's face. Blood smeared his cheek where a large cut had torn the skin, a black thorn jutting out of his shoulder, crimson staining the ground below him. His eyes were closed. A hand was on his neck, a small one. Naoto?

          Black.

          Vision returned once more. In the distance, he saw one creature as it thrashed with Korval, before craning it's neck and spitting a volley of thorns at someone he couldn't see. But then it was reeling back, and though he couldn't see it well, it looked as if a figure in green was chasing after it. The figure moved so quickly . . . at its left, then right, hitting hard, ice seeming to chase after it's footsteps as the creature roared again.

          Warmth.

          A blessed, gentle warmth, easing the pain, easing the hurt. Another figure appeared before him, closer, one with wings of shimmering gold that draped around their body like a cloak. His eyes met ones that glimmered like rubies, a halo of pure light surrounding them. The fire in his blood still burned, but it seemed far away now.

          Before he lost consciousness, he had to wonder if what he'd seen . . . had been another legend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's okay to call me bitch, it's fine.
> 
> Luv u. >3>
> 
> Translations:  
> Wer'sin in gehfarn! Wer musse un bewegan! - We're in danger! We have to move!
> 
> And come on guys, let's get some feedback here! Positive or constructive criticism, I'll hear it all!


	18. Awakenings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So my excuse is . . . I started playing Mass Effect.
> 
> All of it. All three games.
> 
> And it just about killed me. Not literally, but . . . you know.
> 
> BUT, here we are! Finally! :D
> 
> No action, though. Sorry.

 Yu awoke to the sound of pounding rain and a heavy rumble of thunder, a cascading crash that was so near it shook the foundation of wherever he lay. It wasn't until it faded to a muted rumble that he realized he was warm and quiet dry, evidently sheltered from the deluge outside. he opened his eyes, grimacing at the gummy feeling of his eyelashes, blinking rapidly until it cleared. Slowly, his vision adapted to the darkness, the gentle orange glow of several candles illuminating the rectangular hall he found himself in. The shadow-strewn light danced along walls of heavily wrought stone, the cracks deeply shadowed and running like lines of black ink on a gray canvas. Light just barley glanced off the flat, featureless ceiling overhead, flickering to and fro like a mischievous sprite.

          Several beds lined the right wall, a small drawer set beside each one with a single well-used candle flickering on the worn tops. There weren't any windows he could see, making the room feel enclosed and cut off from the rest of the world even though he could still hear the rain and thunder outside quite well. It sounded like a monsoon out there . . .

          Sitting up, he took the time to leisurely stretch his muscles, the blanket bunching at his waist. His limbs weren't constrained like they normally were, and he found that the reason why was because he wasn't wearing his armor anymore. Instead, he was wearing a soft shirt of some kind of fleecy material, comfortable and warm given the chilled air of the room.

          He felt . . . surprisingly good and well-rested. Eager to move around, honestly. But where in the world was he? In Bailsborough? When? The last thing he remembered, they'd been in the forest.

          Another memory flickered into existence as soon as he though that, of sharp thorns and gnashing needle teeth, and he inhaled sharply, body tensing on reflex.

          That's right, they'd been attacked. But . . . ugh, it was hard to remember the details exactly. Just cracking branches, yelling, fighting, and then . . . it just got hazy, like a thick screen was placed over the memory. He'd been injured, he must have. Otherwise, he would remember what had happened! And where was everyone else?

          "Mm . . ."                                                                                                                          

          His eyes shot to the bed next to his own, a shadow he had failed to notice before stirring beneath the covers. Then, it abruptly sat up, and Yu felt his face relax into a relieved smile when he saw the familiar (and drowsy) face of Chie through the dim shade. She yawned expressively, all teeth and tongue that she didn't bother to cover up, head such a tousled mess that looked like she'd been in a fight rather than just sleeping in a bed. Her armor was gone, he noticed, replaced by a soft-looking gown that hung loosely from her frame. She . . . wouldn't be too happy about that when she noticed.

          "Chie," he spoke quietly, partly to get her attention and partly just to savor the warmth of the name and it's occupant.

          The girl immediately snapped to attention, almost flinging the sheet off as she spun around to face him, legs and all, "Narukami-kun?! Wait, what are you doing in my room? Wait, this isn't my room! Wait, where are we?!"

          "Could ya maybe keep it down a tad, some of us are sleeping . . ."

          The grumble warmed Yu's heart as he looked over to the bed on his other side, watching as another figure rose up from the sheets.

          "Yosuke?" Chie questioned, looking more and more confused as the seconds ticked by. For Yu, he was just happy to know they were alright.

          The brunette looked fine too, garbed in loose shirt made of the same soft material. He rubbed at his eyes, then ran a hand through his hair to work out some of the knots as he turned to face the two, "Yeah, Yosuke. Anyway, where are we? And what happened? Did we pass out on the road or something?"

          Chie scoffed, "You might, but I wouldn't."

          "No, we didn't," Yu said, supplying the information to them, "We were attacked, remember?"

          "Attacked . . . ?" Yosuke gave a light start of realization, "You're right, we were! But . . . shit, I can't remember much about it. But . . . we won, right?"

          "We must have, or we wouldn't be here," Chie said, looking around pointedly. Her eyes glimmered with worry, "I . . . I think we got hit by an attack or something, didn't we?"

          "I . . . think so?" Yosuke didn't sound certain.

          Yu straightened up, slipping into his 'leader' mode, "Whatever happened, we're clearly no longer in the forest. First things first, we need to find where everyone else is. Then we can find out what happened."

          The other two nodded in unison, latching onto the verdict so they were no longer floundering in confusion. Chie stood up, determination glinting in her eyes. Yu didn't have to wonder who for.

          And, as if some wayward wishing star had heard them, the door at the end of the hall swung open with a soft creak and a weary looking Rise trundled inside. Her armor was gone as well, a simple but comfortable looking dress of deep burgundy, an overskirt of black trussed up around her waist and a dark corset wound around her torso. She froze for a moment when her eyes landed on the three upright individuals in the room, but the moment of stunned surprise ended when she suddenly bolted for them.

          "You're all awake! Oh my god!" When she was within arms reach, it seemed for a moment that she was going to fling herself onto Yu in a fit of pure happiness. But then she suddenly skidded to a stop and stepped back, arms still held out but hovering near him as if she were afraid to touch him, "Are you okay, Senpai? How do you all feel? Chie-chan, you shouldn't be walking!"

          She didn't give them a chance to answer the flurry of questions, fluttering around the beds, eyes flying frantically over them as she went on, "Do any of you feel sick? Headaches? How many fingers am I holding up?"

          "Whoa, hey, calm down Rise-chan!" Chie held up her hands in a placating manner, lips quirked into a small frown, "We're fine."

          "Are you sure?" Rise was not convinced, eyes shining strangely in the candlelight, tone verging on desperate. Yu was struck with the realization that she was holding back tears, and clearly, whatever had gone wrong in that fight must have been worse than any of them remembered.

          "Rise . . ." Yu began softly, rising from his seat. Rise's hands went up again as if to support him, but that same, almost subconscious fear held her back once again, like she were about to grab porcelain rather than a person. Smiling at her reassuringly, he gently took her hand in his own to show her everything was okay, "We're all alright, I promise. We're just a little confused."

          Rise still looked worried, unsure, but her shoulders relaxed just a token as she murmured, " . . . Really? You don't . . . hurt or anything?"

          Yosuke stood up as well, going for a disarming smile to allay her worries, "No, nothing at all. In fact, I feel pretty well-rested! So don't worry so much, Rise-san."

          Rise gives Yu one last, searching look, but when she saw no trace of the hurt she seemed to have been expecting, her face abruptly crumpled and she flung her arms around Yu's waist. She cried into his chest, and Yu placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, feeling a measure of guilt for the part he'd played in causing her tears, however unintentionally. The others remained silent, sharing a puzzled and worried glance, eyes full of questions but giving voice to none.

          She pulled back a few minutes later, wiping at her eyes and putting on a forced smile, "Sorry, Senpai . . . I'm just so glad you're okay! I'm not really acting like it though, am I . . . ?"

          Yu shook his head in understanding, "You were worried. There's nothing to be ashamed of about that."

          "Rise-san . . . what exactly happened?" Yosuke tentatively put the question out there, "How'd we get here? And where _is_ here, exactly?"

          Rise blinked, "You don't remember what happened?"

          "We remember the fight," Yu clarified for her, "But some parts . . . are a little hazy."

          "Especially the end," Chie added softly, brushing a wild strand of hair into place, only for it to quickly sprang back out.

          A small furrow appeared between Rise's brow, a contemplative frown on her face as she mumbled, "Right, she said that might happen . . ."

          "Who said what might happen?" Yosuke asked, crossing his arms.

          "Um, well-"

          Rise was cut off by the sound of the door opening, all heads turning as another voice spoke out, "Rise-chan, do you need any . . ."

          Another bout of silence passed, then Chie was shouting, "Yukiko!"

          The raven haired girl immediately snapped out of her daze, face breaking into a smile despite the tears that sprang into her eyes, "Chie!"

          The black skirt of Yukiko's dress, similar to Rise's in design, rustled haphazardly over the stone as closed the distance between herself and her friend, exuberantly throwing her arms around Chie's shoulders and squeezing.

          Chie returned it, sounding confused and a little flustered but relieved all the same, laughing, "W-whoa, easy there! Heh, never thought I'd say that to you."

          Yukiko instantly pulled away, face filling with worry, "I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?"

          Chie blinked, baffled, "What? No! No no no no, you didn't hurt me, I'm fine! Promise!"

          Yukiko stared hard into her friend's face, trying to gauge if her friend was being as truthful as she sounded, when she finally nodded in acceptance. Yu had to raise an eyebrow at that. It wasn't like Yukiko to second-guess or disbelieve Chie unless something was really wrong. Like, _really_ wrong.

          What _was_ wrong was the question here.

          "Okay. That's good. Great! What about you, Narukami-kun? Yosuke-kun?"

          Her eyes fixed on the two in question, and Yu gave her an affirmative nod, "We're okay. All of us."

          "Same, but why is everyone treating us like we're made of glass?" Yosuke inquired, a touch of impatience coloring his voice, "Also, we still haven't been told where we are or what happened."

          Yukiko's eyes widened, "You don't . . . ?"

          Rise caught her eye with a shake of her head, and understanding dawned on Yukiko's face, as if some prior knowledge had come to the fore. That still didn't answer any of their questions, though.

          Luckily, Rise seemed to realize that they were growing tired of being kept in the dark, "You guys said you remembered the fight, but not all of it, right?"

          "Mostly," Chie stated.

          "But I think we were . . ." Yosuke trailed off.

          "Attacked, weren't we?" Yu asked more with certainty than genuine puzzlement, and the winces the girls gave affirmed his suspicions.

          "Yeah . . . you were," Rise involuntarily shivered, "It was bad. _Really_ bad. Those things practically ripped you to pieces, and you almost-!"

          She choked on the words, hand going to her mouth as her eyes clouded with a dark memory. Yukiko's hair fell over her face as her head bowed, grimly silent and still.

          Yu swallowed, recalling the memory of thorns he'd had upon waking. He still didn't quite remember what had gone down, but the grim faces before him told him that whatever the case, it had been enough to cause a genuine fear for their lives. He couldn't remember, but they clearly did.

          Chie took a tentative step forward, gently grasping Yukiko's hand, "Was it . . . really that bad, Yukiko."

          The girl nodded somberly, "It was. We really thought you were- . . . I really thought-!" she sniffed, a sharp sting of bitterness in her voice, "I couldn't even _heal_ you . . . I couldn't do anything . . ."

          "That's not your fault, Yukiko!" Chie cut in, other hand coming up to grab her friend's shoulder comfortingly.

          "She's right," Yu said, "I understand how you both must have felt, but no one's to blame for it. No one."

          "Yeah, and . . ." Yosuke rubbed the back of his neck, looking as if he still hadn't quite come to terms with the revelation. It was evident in his voice, "And something must have gone right, right? We're standing here, aren't we?"

          Rise nodded, "Yeah you are, and I am so grateful for that, believe me. I just wish we could have done more . . ."

          "You've done enough, _bairn'a_. The both of you have, if I'm to believe the initiates."

          Yu's gaze snapped to the door as another figure stepped inside, but this one was far more regal than the simply dressed occupants of the otherwise empty room. Even though the light was dim, he could make out a distinctly feminine shape that carried itself with grace and sophistication, perhaps even a touch of haughtiness if the tight posture was anything to go by. The frail candlelight seemed to dance across the glorious cloak that hung from her slim shoulders, a garb covered with paper-thin feathers of gold all painstakingly arranged to flow into one another like the wings of a great bird. The gleam they gave off was strangely metallic in nature, like each feather was made of actual gold, but they rippled and folded just like any other cloak he'd seen, as light as air. Magic could very well be at play there. Small glints of red would appear with every ripple of the cloth, coming from miniature rubies strewn across the fabric like tiny pearls of blood. The cloak covered almost her entire body, so it was hard to make out much else save for the broad leather belt cinched around her waist, the buckle studded with three large moonstones and strangely comfy looking pants. He could just make out what looked like a half-disk of heavy bronze emblazoned with a sun dangling from the belt by a black strap, but it kept dipping back into the confines of her cloak just out of sight to truly see what was on it. On her head was a circlet with tines that resembled flames that had been frozen in gold, all twining around one another expertly. Two tines in particular both curved up near the front of the circlet, their sharp points curving away from one another as they came to gird a faceted ruby the size of a dollar coin fitted to the very front. Her face was sharply-lined and smooth, with sun-kissed skin that looked warm to the touch and black hair that was pulled back into a neatly plaited bun, the braid of which curved down the right side of her face before disappearing behind her head. A beauty by anyone's definition.

          The only other thing that stood out about her were her long, slender ears that tapered out into points.

          . . . And she also looked exactly like Yukiko.

          "Ylvaria-san!" Yukiko shouted in surprise, snapping to attention as if her commanding officer had just walked into the room. Clearly, they already knew each other.

          "Ylvaria-san . . ." Chie echoed, staring unblinking at the carbon-copy of her friend.

          Except the _ears_ . . .

          "It never get's any less weird, does it?" Yosuke asked, Yu assumed to himself. He wasn't going to answer anyway if that wasn't the case. He was too busy looking at the ears.

          The woman, 'Ylvaria', he guessed, held up a hand, a bell of laughter in her voice as said, "At ease, soldier! I'm just here to check on my patients. But you've clearly been doing that for me."

          Both girls looked slightly embarrassed at that, but Ylvaria didn't look angry. Granted, Yu wasn't looking very hard at her face right now.

          The woman smiled, "See, I told you they would be fine."

          "Can you double-check, just to make sure?" Rise asked her pleadingly.

          "We'll stay out of your way," Yukiko quickly put in, kneading her hands together worriedly.

          "I don't have to check them over to see that they're fine," she replied calmly, but there was a twinkle of understanding in her eyes as she spoke, "Their wounds are all healed and the poison's been expunged from their systems. They'll be okay, I promise."

          "Poison?" Yosuke's eyes widened.

          Ylvaria looked at him, answering him directly, "Yes, poison. To be more precise, splinter drake venom, a powerful toxin which would have paralyzed all your major organs and asphyxiated your brains."

          There was a beat of mildly horrified silence before Ylvaria continued, "Oh, you didn't actually want a clinical description, did you?"

          "But they _are_ okay, right?" Rise insisted.

          Ylvaria nodded patiently, "Yes, they're okay."

          Both Yukiko and Rise finally seemed to take the truth to heart, because they both gave a relieved sigh, relaxing from their tense postures.

          After a moment of silence, Ylvaria cleared her throat, "Okay, let's start with a few names. Mine is Ylvaria Ilumvanvi, First of the Ilumvanvi House. What about you?"

          "You don't know our names?" Yosuke asked, a little incredulously, "I would have thought everyone would have told you by now."

          Chie was still staring.

          So was Yu.

          "Well, I do know your names, I just thought it would be a good ice-breaker," Ylvaria answered bluntly. A wondering look appeared in her eyes, questioning to herself, "Hm, or is the custom of exchanging names different in your world?"

          Yukiko looked at them, voice soft, "Ylvaria-san's the one who saved you in the forest."

          "She also kept watch over you while you slept," Rise added.

          "Watched us while we slept?" Yosuke echoed, face flushing a little, "Uh . . ."

          By this point, Chie had finally gotten a hold of her shock enough to speak, though she still seemed a little over-awed, "You saved us? How? Oh, and, uh, my name's Chie Satonaka. Nice to meet you . . . again? Wow, this is weird . . ."

          She said that last part under her breath, but Ylvaria's ears twitched up in interest anyway. Yu only noticed because he was looking.

          "You don't have to be shy with me, Chie," Ylvaria reassured her, her gaze warm and strangely fond, "I'm your friend too, even if we've only just met."

          Chie shifted from foot to foot, a soft blush coloring her cheeks, "Y-yeah, I guess you're right about that, huh?"

          "And to answer you're question, I did save you. I would be an awful cleric if I didn't," Ylvaria responded.

          Cleric? Another name he'd heard of before, but only in the mythos of video game lore. They were healers, weren't they? Appropriate. Also, weren't they usually faithful to a deity of some sort?j

          She didn't elaborate on what it meant right now, however, instead glancing in Yosuke's direction, "And you?"

          Rise had to nudge Yosuke in the ribs to get him going, "A-ah, Yosuke Hanamura!"

          Yu knew the attention had then been turned on him, but instead of an introduction, all that came out of his mouth was, "She _is_ an elf."

          Silence, again, as everyone stared at him.

          "Snrk," Ylvaria snickered only once before she suddenly descended into a fit of full-scale laughter, hearty peals of sound that filled the once-solemn room with warmth.

          "T-that's so funny!" she stuttered between laughs, "Yukiko said the exact same thing! Is that h-how you say hello to people?"

          Chie's mouth was hanging open, "She has . . . laughing fits."

          ". . . at the weirdest things, too," Yosuke commented, "I guess she really is Yukiko-san's counterpart."

          It was definitely a Yukiko laugh, too. But the sound of it was more comforting to him than strange. After all, it meant that despite any differences, there were still things that were integrally similar.

          He couldn't help the smile when he noticed Yukiko's reddened face, "It's not _that_ weird, is it?"

          Chie immediately shook her head, "No, it's not weird at all. It's just _you_. Well, both of you, I guess."

          The corners of Rise's mouth twitched up, a touch of relief in her voice as she spoke, "That was definitely a Senpai thing to say, though. You really are alright . . ."

          By now, Ylvaria had composed herself, though a quiet snigger would still work it's way out, "I'm sorry, I should expect things like that by now. Anyway, you're Yu Narukami, yes?"

          "I thought you wanted an ice-breaker," Yu said back, smiling.

          "Yes, but I think we've been here long enough, haven't we? Ylvaria then glanced at the door, where Yu noticed a young woman wearing a dark brown robe was hovering. A bundle of clothes were tucked in her arms, and she hurried forward when Ylvaria gestured for her to enter.

          "You'll probably want to get dressed and moving, so I asked the priests if they could spare some clothes for you," she said as the young lady deposited the bundles on one of the beds.

          "Priests?" Yosuke questioned.

          "You're inside the temple of Elohira, the goddess Bailsborough is faithful to," Ylvaria explained to them, "It was the only place with supplies for medicinal practice."

          "So we _are_ in Bailsborough," Yu said, nodding.

          "We're in a temple?" Chie asked, looking up at the stone ceiling.

          "Mhm," Ylvaria responded with a nod, "Anyway, get dressed. You'll probably want to see the rest of your friends, too."

          Yu's ears perked up at this. So everyone was here as well. That was good news.

          "And don't worry, Chie, I specifically asked for a tunic and pants," Ylvaria added, "If you're anything like Cahira, I know you wouldn't appreciate a dress."

          "Oh sweet, thanks!" Chie answered with a smile. Then she frowned, "Wait, who?"

(*)

          Dressing was quick, though a little awkward given the fact that there were no separate changing rooms for them. It ultimately amounted to Yukiko and Rise forming a wall between them and keeping their backs to each other under a halo of awkward silence. Thankfully, the undershirt and pants were easy to pull on, along with the plain tunic he'd been given, so it was over in only a few minutes. The leather shoes he'd been given would take some getting used to, however.

          Now they were following Ylvaria out into the hall, the room they were in apparently being on the very dead end of said hall. The floor very gradually sloped upwards, so minuscule it was hardly noticeable, the stone walls adorned with green draperies depicting gold leaves and vines. Candelabras were interspersed between them, lighting their path well enough as they walked, as well as the occasional chest of drawers.

          "Oh my god . . ." he heard Chie mumble for perhaps the eighth time, staring ahead with an almost listless gaze. But beneath it, he could easily discern a glimmer of excitement.

          She was, after all, going to meet her own counterpart soon.

          Yukiko, who was glued to the other girl's side, smiled a bit, "It feels weird, doesn't it?"

          "Oh my god . . . I'm gonna meet her," Chie continued, "What do I even _say?_ "

          "A 'hello' would be a good place to start," Ylvaria commented blithely, smiling.

          "You don't have to worry Chie-senpai," Rise added comfortingly, "Cahira-san's comes of a bit . . . strong at times, but she's nice."

          Yosuke quietly scoffed, "A Chie who's nice . . . that'll be the day."

          The remark was enough to earn him a brief scowl from Chie, "I'm plenty nice, I'm just mean to you because most of the time you deserve it."

          "Ha, so you admit there are times where I don't!" Yosuke called out.

          "Just like you admitted there are times where you do!" Chie snapped back.

          He heard Ylvaria chuckle, but she made no move to stop the escalating argument.

          Intervention time, "Chie, I think it would be for the best if you didn't put Yosuke back in the clinic."

          Chie pursed her lips together, but finally relented with a grumble, "Fine."

          By this point, they'd reached the end of the hall, emerging through an archway that opened out into a large central chamber about forty feet deep and thirty feet tall. It was still dim, though there were many more candles readily available in this room than any of the others, perfuming the air with heady mix of incense and smoke. The opening they stood in was positioned in the back corner of the room, and to his left he could make out a similar archway leading to other parts of the temple. Most of the ceiling was flat stone save for one portion above their heads that was domed and entirely made of thick glass, the large window stylized with frosted whorls resembling vines. The sky outside was a deep gray, not quite night but not quite day either. Early morning, perhaps? It didn't help that it was still raining.

          A large set of double-doors was set into the center of the wall opposite where they stood, bordered by thick cords of intertwined vines that grew up through the stone floor. Three rows of pews were situated in front of it, all arranged so they faced the main centerpiece of the chamber; a great tree that grew from a patch of earth untouched by any stone. The wood was thick and sturdy looking, with boughs that were thick with green leaves untouched by any blight. Strangely, the floor beneath it was completely free of any fallen foliage, as if the tree had never suffered the loss of a single leaf. Another bizarre feature was that the branches of the tree seemed to split apart halfway up, growing out and arching in a way that left a visible spot of empty space between the boughs. It seemed out of place in the manmade building, but it was clearly an object of reverence. It's tallest branches brushed against the domed window, as if reaching for the silvered raindrops that continuously splattered the glass. Yu blinked when he noticed that some of the droplets seemed to be falling through anyway, pattering against the green leaves in a gentle cadence. It was strange because it looked like there were no cracks in the glass at all . . .

           It definitely had the look and feel of a fantasy church, that was for sure. Some of the pews were even occupied, peasants with bowed heads and clasped hands, murmuring softly in prayer, the echoing quality of the chamber making their voices sound like the whisper of rustling leaves. 'The Temple of Elohira' . . .

          "Whoa . . ." Chie murmured as if she were afraid to disturb the quiet tranquility of the place.

          "No kidding . . ." Yosuke breathed, staring up into the branches.

          "Ylvaria-san, is anyone still here?" Yukiko asked.

          "One," Ylvaria replied softly, raising a slender hand and gesturing to the back (or rather, front) of the building. At first, he couldn't see what she meant. Then he noticed the lone figure sitting against the far wall, back an inch or so from the stone and ramrod straight, legs crossed and hands laid in their lap so one hand rested over the other, palms up. Something else rested across their lap as well, something long and thin. A staff?

          Ylvaria went ahead, skirting the pews and the supplicants seated upon them with nary a sound. They followed, Yu occasionally glancing at the people but mostly keeping his eyes on the person they were going to.

          As they got closer, features became apparent through the limited lighting, of a more feminine form and short cut hair, and Yu noticed Chie begin to awkwardly lag behind.

          No one won any points for guessing why.

          "Still right where I left you, I see," Ylvaria greeted, voice warm and tender in it's quietness.

          The other's lips twitched up into a smile, "I knew you weren't going to be long. Besides, didn't I tell you they'd be up?"

          Her voice was jovial, a touch louder than it needed to be, and every bit as familiar as he'd expected.

          The woman sitting on the floor rose up with nothing more than the strength of her own legs, whisking her staff back into her hand with ease. She spun it once, then braced it on the floor like a cane, placing her other hand on her hip as she turned to face them in full.

          They finally get to meet Chie's counterpart, who's name Ylvaria had lovingly told them; Cahira Simorn.

          Her face was just like his friend's, with a familiarly warm smile and an energetic sparkle in her brown eyes. Her hair was just as short, but one piece of hair had been uniquely pulled apart from the rest and coiled into a neat little braid, a length of green twine laced through the strands. A vest of forest green leather was strapped around her torso, mithral studs lining the front and metallic thread lacing the edges of the material. Strips of white material were wrapped from the palms of her hands all the way up to her elbows, resembling bandages, and a pair of elegant bracers of green leather was over it, tiny plates of silver branching off to create a glimmering pattern along the cuff. Two rings were on the ring fingers of each hand, one a band of gold and the other a seamless loop of malachite. Two pieces of black cloth were tied around her waist, overlapping in such a way as to create a skirt-like design with a pair of flexible pants beneath that, the legs of which traveled all the way down to the soles of her feet, wrapping around the underside and leaving only her heel and toes visible. She was wearing sandals, strangely enough, the straps of which went all the way up to her knee in an exquisitely crafted display of intertwining mithral and green leather. A small gold brooch hung from her neck, carved in the shape of a crescent moon and with a set of small pearls running the length of it. Her wooden staff was as tall as she was, the ends shod in a silvery-white metal with a thin strip curving gracefully down the length of it. Runes were carved into the tips, and he felt like the air grew colder around the weapon the closer he drew to it.

          "So, how was your nap?" she asked them, grinning.

          Yu blinked. It was still strange meeting exact look-alikes of the people you held dear, but honestly . . . the genuine shock of it had worn off. So he answered her clearly and without pause, "It was good, but we also worried people, so that makes it not as good."

          Cahira laughed, "With an attitude like that to being almost killed, I have to wonder why anyone does!" she side-eyed at Rise and Yukiko then, a twinkle appearing in her eyes, "And you two! Still sneaking off behind everyone's backs? Sheesh, you'd think Ylvaria was the assistant here!"

          Both girls shifted awkwardly where they stood, but Ylvaria stepped in, "Come on, Cahira, they were just worried. Don't pretend you wouldn't be too if our situations were reversed."

          "I know, I'm just teasing them!" The brown-haired woman replied. There was warmth in her tone and gaze, and Yu felt his heart jitter with happiness. He'd seen Yukiko and Chie give each other similar looks, and though it was probably pointless to feel such, it was nice to know that their friendship in this world was real as well.

          Suddenly, out of nowhere and practically faster than he could blink, her staff snapped up into the air, coming to as just as sudden a stop right beneath Yosuke's chin. The boy jumped a good second after the staff was already there, a frightened squeak escaping his lips.

          Then, with a very slight twitch of her wrist and a soft tap to the underside of his chin, Cahira admonished, "Eyes up here, Yosuke."

          The boy silently nodded and she moved the staff away, and Yu released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Granted, it had all happened so fast he felt his head was spinning. He was still wary enough to give Yosuke a comforting pat on the back.

          "W-wow, how did you move so quickly?" Chie asked, for a moment forgetting who she was talking.

          "Quick answer? Lots and lots of practice," Cahira replied, leaning against her staff, "You're only as good as your training regiment, after all."

          "Training?" Chie echoed, eyes sparking with sudden interest. Well, a different sort of interest, "You do that stuff too?"

          "Every day!" Cahira leaned forward, curiosity looking piqued, "And what, per se, is your training?"

          "O-oh, well, uh . . ." Chie rubbed the back of her head, unusually shy, though it may have to do with initiating a conversation with her own counterpart, "J-just the usual. You know, um . . . push-ups, jogging, crunches . . . and stuff."

          Cahira quirked an eyebrow, lips pursing together thoughtfully. Then her hand suddenly lashed out like a viper, startling him all over again.

          But Chie was also quick, arm going up on reflex and knocking the strike away from her face just in time. Her leg went up in it's usual 'attack' position, but no further, the confusion on her face plain for all to see, "What-?"

          But Cahira was smiling, "Good reflexes! We have something to work with after all!"

          "Uh . . ." Chie stared, then flushed as she realized she still hadn't moved and dropped her leg back to the floor.

          "I don't want to spoil your fun," Ylvaria said, "But we should probably leave."

          She gave a meaningful glance in the direction of the pews, and Yu looked to see that several of the temple-goers were glowering at them.

          Cahira nodded, "Right. Well, to the inn we go."

          Ylvaria followed her with the rest of them close behind, Rise whispering, "So what do you think, Chie-senpai?"

          "It's . . . weird. It's like I'm talking to myself, only not really," Chie said after a brief moment of contemplation.

          "I felt that way too. So did everyone else, I bet," Yukiko said, "It's weirder when the one you meet also isn't human. But it's also sort of exciting, getting to know one another."

          Chie smiled at that, "Yeah, it kinda is. I can't wait to see what she does to train."

          Meanwhile, Yosuke was muttering, "'She's nice'. Nice my ass! Why is it that I always have to fear for my life whenever I'm near you?"

          Chie huffed, "Well, you were the one being pervy. Frankly, she was being a lot nicer about it than I would have been."

          "My only saving grace . . ." Yosuke mumbled despondently.

          If they were going to add on to that conversation, it ended when Cahira pulled the door open and a blast of cold, rain-swept wind greeted them. He gasped at the dramatic change in temperature, blinking away raindrops and bring and arm over his face to protect himself from the wind.

          The cobblestone path beyond was reasonably protected by a roof of sturdily shingled wood, and he could see similar paths with the same coverage beyond. It was still very cold and wet, however.

          Needless to say, he wasn't going to be falling into any puddles today.

          The gray sky was definitely lighter than before, and he could figure the sun must be rising somewhere behind those clouds.

          "This way," Ylvaria said, turning left, "Just keep to the paths."

          They followed obediently, the girls bunching up their skirts into their hands while the rest just hand to deal with the water that splashed against their legs. Yu could only give cursory glances to his surroundings as he struggled to keep the wind out of his face. He did catch sight of numerous stone buildings, some looking like homes and others possible storefronts, all laced with ivy and other plant life. He could hear life within them, as there were few people out in the stormy weather save for the occasional straggler. At one point, he thought he could make out a heavy stone wall at the edge of the town border, the top of which was covered by another wooden roof. Occasionally, he could make out the shadows of strangers superimposed against the gray clouds, some standing stationary while others walked dutifully across it.

          "What time is it?" he heard Yosuke ask.

          "Early morning," Cahira replied quickly, looking completely unbothered by the rain as it splashed against her skin.

          "It's the morning?" Chie echoed, crinkling her eyebrows together, "How long have we been out."

          "Just the night," Ylvaria answered, "I promise, you haven't missed much."

          Well, that was good to know.

          The rain picked up at that moment, pounding relentlessly against the roof. Thankfully, it only took a few minutes to reach their destination, so they escaped with minimal soakage. Like the other buildings, the inn was made of stone, the outside bearing a pebbly edge as the uneven clumps of rock stuck out oddly and haphazardly. The windows were circular, an aesthetic design choice, though it could also be the way the stone was cobbled together that made it a bit difficult to go for anything else. Ivy crawled about halfway up it's exterior before petering away to thin tendrils, bushes lining the bottom of the building. Inside, he could hear the muted sounds of conversation, though it was nowhere near as noisy as the inn in Sedgeridge.

          Cahira had the door again, ushering them all in with a cock of her head, and they hurriedly moved inside to escape the icy chill of the rain. Beyond was a room just as stone-made as the outside, but numerous torches and a large brazier at the room's heart ensured that, unlike the outside, everything was warm and toasty. The smoke was ventilated upwards by a v-shaped ceiling, pouring out through a thin slit where the two slates of stone would have met. There were several tables and numerous chairs spotted all across the room, occupied by several town-goers who were all demurely eating breakfast, speaking in softer voices and just in general exuding much less energy than the last inn he'd been in. He could a see a door set right at the very back of the room, perhaps leading to a kitchen or larder as two women emerged from it carrying trays of food and drink. Another door was set into the left wall, leading to who knows where.

          The nice thing about this more laid-back atmosphere was that it made it quite easy to pick out familiar faces.

          Naoto and Kanji were sitting in the back, plates of food in front of them, though neither seemed particularly engrossed in it as they were with the things in their hands. Naoto was looking at her crossbow with a crease of concentration steepled on her brow, running her fingers carefully along the strings and cable before dipping her fingers into a small tin jar beside her and repeating the motion over again. Kanji was . . . lifting weights, his eyebrows furrowed together and lips turned down into an attentive frown. Both were in clothes much like his own, foregoing armor in the more laidback environment. Nyras and Korval were next to them, and to his surprise, saw that they had taken off most of their protective gear too. Korval had traded his breast plate for a simple white shirt and leather jerkin, as well as a pair of pants and boots, though his hammer was still in grabbing distance should the need arise. Nyras, meanwhile, had relaxed enough to remove her hood and bracers, the blue robe she wore evidently comfortable enough to wear casually. Yu had to stifle a laugh when he saw that they were doing pretty much the exact same things as their younger counterparts. From their actions to their expressions, they mirrored each other in a way that was both funny and cute.

          Rhysana was a little ways off in a corner all to herself, the bard lightly strumming her fingers over her harp and humming softly under her breath, looking like she didn't have a care in the world. She'd discarded her cloak, but otherwise had kept her colorful ensemble on. The music reminded him of every video game he'd ever played (few as they were) where he'd walk into an inn an there'd be a soft string instrument playing in the background as you gathered quests and rested up. It was actually weirdly nostalgic, but nice.

          Tirin was near the back, throwing small knives at a dartboard hanging suspended on the wall, one that was clearly well-used judging from all the nicks and scratches marred into the wood. His goggles and bracers were gone, though the rest of his armor was still intact. Teddie was next to him, watching his knife-play with an unusual amount of focus he normally didn't have..

          It only took a few seconds for all of them to turn and see who had entered, but a few seconds was all they needed before Yu and the others found themselves suddenly swarmed.

          "SENSEI! YOSUKE! CHIE-CHAN!" Yu braced himself just in time as the bear threw himself at him and Yosuke, wrapping an arm around both their necks and hanging their like his life depended.

          Yosuke stumbled a bit, nearly throwing all of them off balance with the way they were conjoined, but rightened himself just in time. Yu could see the beginnings of an annoyed scowl starting to form, but it melted as soon as he heard the earnest sniffling, "I-I was so worried . . ."

          Yu felt his heart give a pang. Ylvaria said they'd only been down for the night, but that clearly meant nothing to the ones who'd still been awake.

          He placed a hand on the boy's head, but before he could speak, new voices were cajoling in;

          "Hey, you guys alright?" Kanji asked, shooting Teddie a disapproving look, "Ted, could ya give 'em some space?"

          Teddie just held on tighter.

          "Do you any of you feel woozy? Nauseous?" Naoto added in, focusing on each of them with a probing stare.

          "Guys, they're fine," Rhysana swooped in behind them, placing a comforting hand on each of their shoulders. Her eyes twinkled as she looked at Rise and Yukiko, who both flushed, "Otherwise those two wouldn't have let them out of bed."

          "We told ya Ylvaria would take care of 'em," Korval spoke up from where he sat, still lifting weights but wearing a partly amused smile.

          "She's a very committed and diligent woman," Nyras added, leaning back in her seat as her fingers mechanically ran the length of her crossbow's strings.

          "I could have told you that!" Cahira chimed in as she threw an arm around Ylvaria's shoulders, the golden feathers of her cloak tinkling like chimes as they rubbed against one another.

          Yu could swear Ylvaria leaned into it as she chuckled, "Flatterer."

          " _Ei zimmar bekomen!_ " Tirin called out teasingly, a hand cupped around his mouth and a smirk on his lips.

          Ylvaria lifted her head up haughtily, retorting, " _Zuminde werd wir haben._ "

          Cahira and Korval both snorted as Tirin pursed his lips into a pout, much to his confusion. Whatever had happened, Ylvaria looked quite proud of herself for it.

          Regardless, Yu decided now was a good time to speak and allay his teammates fears, "We're fine. Better than fine, honestly. But I am sorry if we had you worried."

          Rise shook her head, "No, don't apologize! It wasn't your fault, and besides, you're all better now!"

          "C-come on, you really think we would have stayed down?" Yosuke asked, trying to lighten the mood despite the bear still hanging off of his neck.

          For a few moments, it seemed like no one would bite.

          Then, "I don't know, senpai, you tend to go down pretty easily every time ya piss Chie-senpai off."

          "Shut up, Kanji!"

          Chie smiled in satisfaction, "You can't be mad at Kanji-kun for telling the truth."

          "Why do I even bother?" Yosuke grumbled.

          By now, smiles were being had, Yu included, and though he tried to hold on to his ire, Yosuke gave in to it too just a few seconds later.

          Naoto, after a little while longer of deep inspection, finally relaxed and nodded, "

          Rhysana was grinning by now, "Well, now that everyone's feeling better, how about you all sit down and eat a nice breakfast, hm? After all, you've got a long day ahead of you!"

          Yu's ears perked up at that, and beside him, Yosuke asked, "What do you mean?"

          Cahira took it up from there, "After you eat. Right now, I bet your pretty hungry, huh?"

          Now that she said it, Yu was becoming highly aware of the hollow feeling in his stomach. Aside from the paltry breakfast and berries yesterday, he hadn't eaten anything substantial.

          "That sounds like a good idea! Does this place have bacon, by any chance?" Chie asked, looking hopeful.

          A _look_ appeared on Cahira's face, one that was both pleased and conspiring at the same time, "Oh sure, but you may have to duel me for it.~"

          Chie locked eyes with her counterpart, as slowly a confrontational smile appeared on her face, "Oh, it's on!"

          "Of course Chie's counterpart is a carnivore," Yosuke sighed, not looking the least bit surprised as the two went off.

          "Oh Chie . . ." Yukiko murmured, shaking her head fondly.

          "It's always a competition, isn't it?" Ylvaria said to her, smiling.

          "It is, but that's what makes them who they are," Yukiko replied, looking wistful, "I'd be worried if they weren't!"

          The elf laughed, "I would be too. Now, let's go make sure they don't do anything too reckless." She glanced at Yu and Yosuke, "I'd suggest you eat something soon. Something warm."

          Yu watched them go, amazed at how easily the two had spoken with the other. But then, if there was anyone who'd get along swimmingly with their counterpart, it'd be the polite and conscientious Yukiko. And if anything, it looked like Cahira and Chie were headed down that road, too.

          He wondered if he'd get along so well with his own?

          He felt Yosuke shift beside him as he lifted a hand and patted Teddie's back, saying, "Hey Ted, I think you can let go now. We're not going anywhere."

          Teddie squeezed again, and Yu thought he wouldn't let go. But then he finally (and reluctantly) stepped back, wiping at his eyes but trying to smile all the same, "I-I'm so beary happy everyone's okay!"

          "We told you they would be," said Tirin as he came out of absolutely nowhere, plunking an elbow on the other's head. Twirling his other hand in the air, he added, "You were the one who insisted on crying about it like a lost cub."

          Teddie whined under it, pursing his lips childishly at the gloaming, "Because this bear isn't heartless, unlike a certain someone I could mention!"

          Tirin clutched at his heart as if he were in pain, but he was smiling through the theatrics, "Oh, what barbed insults! And here I thought we were becoming friends."

          "Tirin, let them have their moment and go play with your knives," Rhysana said.

          "You know, usually when someone says that to me, it's a lot more fun," Tirin shot back mischievously, leaning over on Teddie's head with lips twitched into a half-smirk. The bear made a disapproving sound and tried to push him off but to no avail.

          Rhysana swatted at Tirin's head, "Shoo!"

          The rogue laughed but slipped away, off to cause who knows what havoc but leaving Teddie in peace. The bear rubbed his head, huffing, "Hmph, he's always such a meanie."

          Those two . . . definitely a turn-around from Yukiko and Ylvaria's relationship, but Yu had to concede that it could definitely be worse.

          "Hey, your food's gettin' cold!" Korval yelled, gesturing to the mostly full plates on the table beside him.

          "We're comin'!" Kanji shouted back before turning around, "Senpai, they got these great little dough things with sugar on 'em. You should give that a try!"

          "While we eat, it would be prudent to discuss today's plans as well," Naoto added, looking visibly more relaxed now that it was apparent they weren't about to collapse.

          "What plans are those?" Yu asked, "Something to do with the 'long day' Rhysana-san mentioned?"

          Naoto nodded, but it was Nyras who answered, "Yes it does. The storm we'll clear up in a few hours, and the Knight-Captain has agreed to let us use the training grounds."

          Yu met Yosuke's eyes, surprise mirrored in each other's gaze, "You mean . . . ?"

          "Yep!" Rhysana cut in with a smile, "Your martial training starts today!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the training montage begins.
> 
> Handy-dandy translation time:
> 
> Bairn'a - child.  
> Ei zimmar bekomen! - Get a room!  
> Zuminde werd wir haben. - At least we'll have company.
> 
> See you next time. Hopefully with not as long of a wait. :)


	19. Training Daze

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is almost 10,000 words long. Holy fucking shit, my fingers are dead.
> 
> Anyway, in this chapter, we get to experience shifting points of view! When you see this '-' it's someone else's turn! Now, this kind of view hopping will happen rarely, I just thought it would be good to get every side in this chapter. Most of the time, when we switch point of views, it will be chapter by chapter from that view alone. Like with Yu through chapters 1-18. :)
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

          Nyras had filled them in quickly over what had transpired while they were out, a succinct explanation that amounted to basically 'nothing of interest'. Except for the part where splinter drakes (the things that had attacked them) were uncommon in this forest and weren't supposed to be here. Which seemed to be a lot of creatures these days. Apparently the pair they'd encountered had been the reason Cahira and Ylvaria had been staying in this part of the world, and why they'd been exactly where they'd needed them to be when it mattered.

          Speaking of the pair, they also got to find out a little more about them over breakfast. Ylvaria was a cleric, as she'd already told them, but they got to learn the specifics of how it worked. Like how clerics could only receive their magical powers from the gods they were faithful to, which in Ylvaria's case was the elven deity of the sun, Arhelio. Yu was still wrapping his head around the fact that there were apparently many gods and goddesses in this world, all of them quite real (although with varying degrees of power), if what their counterparts said was true. But still, he couldn't be too shocked. He'd already seen evidence of these divine beings influence, after all, with Ylvaria and the temple of Elohira. He had to wonder at what others existed out there. That aside, they also found out what Cahira's brand of professionalism was; she was a monk. Chie had been over the moon at the news, and proceeded to rub it in Yosuke's face.

          On a more disappointing note, the group had found nothing that could explain the phenomenon that had happened at Sedgeridge. There was nothing in any books, and scholars and experts in the realm of magic weren't very helpful either. The closest Nyras had come to an explanation was, occasionally and very rarely, pockets of magic would develop that _could_ potentially sunder the veil between planes, amongst other things. But nothing explained why it was happening so frequently, or what could possibly have happened to being Yu and his friends here. It was frustrating, but Yu refused to let it beat him down. There had to be an explanation somewhere, all they had to do was find it.

          On the opposite end of the spectrum, however, Nyras' magic message had been successfully sent out, although with most of the champion's members already present, there was only two they needed to wait on.

          Two who apparently could arrive at any time with the help of a teleportation spell, news which left Yu with an anxious knot of nerves in his stomach. At anytime . . . his counterpart could arrive and he'd get to know just how the others had felt. At any conceivable time. Judging from the way Yosuke remained keyed up as they made their way to the training grounds, he wasn't the only one to feel that way. Still, he tried to tamp down on his anxiousness in order to focus on the task at hand. It never ended well to have a scattered mind when in a fight, training or no.

          Mud squelched under his boots, the rain having petered out to little more than an on-and-off sprinkle that dewed on Yu's eyelashes and hair. The air smelled strongly of ozone, the trees were still heavy with raindrops, and his breath continuously puffed out in small, pale clouds that quickly disappeared. The sky remained dark with rainclouds, but they were thinning out as the sun, now at its highest point, burned them away. All that same, it was still really cold, even with the layers he was wearing beneath his re-donned armor.

          Apparently, this was considered adequate training weather.

          The training grounds were just outside the town's walls beyond the barracks. Several open, rain laden fields were before them, surrounded by forest and each one with a designated regiment. There were hay barrels on one, with a line of archers methodically firing into them with rigid discipline. Others had rows of men (and women) mock fighting with swords and shields, two guard captains overseeing the trainees so nothing ran afoul. And in the distance, he could see others throwing pikes and spears, set a bit apart from the rest so they didn't accidently spear a person. They were set apart with their own field, the grass scant after years of being trampled on and replaced by a ring of muddy dirt the size of half a football field. Several straw dummies had been set out along the border on one side, but other than that, it was featureless.

           "So, what do we do?" Chie asked, eyes shining despite the cold weather. Breakfast had really livened her spirits, and she would fidget with barely suppressed energy as they marched out to the field. Not too mention her newfound admiration of her counterpart, who she hadn't stopped asking questions about where she trained, what sort of order did she follow, was she adopted by the temple master and brought up to defend one nondescript piece of treasure after another . . . it was all very expected, honestly. Cahira took it in stride, though she did seem a little puzzled by the girl's sudden fascination. Ylvaria, on the other hand, found it very 'cute'.

          "First, we can start by assessing your base abilities," Nyras said as she took up a spot on the outside where she could observe everything.

          "You've already shown some skill with your weapons," Rhysana added, somehow not shivering despite the diaphanous material of her shirt, "We're just going to see how good you actually are, and build it up from there."

          "Okay, so like a test!" Chie said, hopping from foot to foot in order to warm up, "Awesome! Let's get started."

          "Hold on!" Cahira interrupted, looking on amusedly, "At least give us some time to explain what we'll be doing."

          Chie stopped, looking instantly mollified but nodding, "Oh. Y-yeah, course, my bad. I just . . . got a little carried away."

          "No, energy is good! If your heart isn't in it, you won't learn anything!" Cahira encouraged.

          Chie smiled and nodded strongly, "Got it!"

          "So, what are we doin'?" Kanji asked, the hammer shifting awkwardly in his hands. He still hadn't quite acclimated to the weapon, and would constantly frown and spin it around in his hands as if he were trying to find a more comfortable way to hold it.

          "Sparring sessions, of course. Most of us we'll groups into pairs and see how you do!" Rhysana explained heartily.

          Chie's eyes lit up at this, "Ooh, awesome! Who will we pair up with?"

          "Well, _you_ are pairing up with _me_ ," Cahira informed her, leaning on her staff and smiling as Chie's eyes lit up, "And I think you can figure out where the rest of you will be going based on that."

          It wasn't hard to figure out what she meant, especially when Korval slapped a hand against Kanji's back and grinned, "Right, let's see how good you can really swing that thing."

          Yosuke grimaced, "Did you have to say it like that?"

          Kanji glowered at him, but Korval just rolled his eyes before pulling the dark-haired youth away, mostly unbothered by the innuendo. Huh . . .

          "Come, Naoto," Nyras said, tilting her head in the direction of the dummies, "I wish to see how well you adapt to the recoil. You remember how to load, correct?"

          "Yes, I do," Naoto replied, trailing after the older woman with lips pursed in a way that said 'she wasn't stupid', "I've practiced drawing the string and aligning the bolts."

          Her counterpart nodded, "Good."

          Yukiko snapped her fan open, frowning, "I wonder if this will actually help me . . ."

          "It can in a pinch, believe me," Ylvaria said, coming up to her side as she removed something from within the folds of her cloak. In her hand she clutched a war fan, although this one was a little different structurally; it had a handle, for one, with a smooth ruby attached to the end, and the actual fan part resembled a golden disc made of fletched metal feathers with razor sharp points, all pointing the same way, "It's true, I use this more as a foci for my magic, but that doesn't mean it can't come in handy in a physical fight."

          Yukiko looked a little heartened by that, "I'll take your word for it."

          "What about us?" Yosuke asked, "I mean, we're kinda the odd ones out here."

          "Don't worry, we've already thought of that," to Yu's surprise, Rhysana beckoned to him with a thin finger, "You're coming with me and Rise."

          "What?" he inquired, puzzled.

          "Really?" Rise asked, face brightening. Before, she'd been looking uncomfortable, no doubt feeling the most out of their element.

          "We don't have to be using the same sword styles to spar," Rhysana said. With a smile, she lifted her hand and plucked one of the small charms from the band of her bracelet, and to Yu's amazement, watched as it expanded and elongated into a long, sharp, and very real rapier. The blade had a graceful curve to its body, the polished steel flickering with an array of prismatic color that neither glowed nor disappeared, the color seemingly beaten into the metal but rippling like it were alive. The hilt was covered by a gaurd of golden filigree, and it fit perfectly in the palm of the bard's hand as she caught it midair. Standing straight, she whipped it in front of her face and placed her free arm behind her back, winking, "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you!~"

          . . . Well, he can't say he was surprised. But, at least he now had a sparring partner.

          "And, uh, what about me?" Yosuke asked, looking at her hopefully.

          Rhysana flashed him a smile, "Mm, sorry sweetie, but I can only take so many. You're with Tirin."

          "What?!"

          "You're using daggers. It only makes sense to train with someone who uses them too and can straighten out your form and tell you where to improve," Rhysana explained, "And I'd be rubbish, because daggers are not my forte."

          The rogue slipped up behind the pouting boy with the silence of a ghost, bracing his elbow against Yosuke's shoulder and pinching his cheek, "Looks like you're stuck with me and the cub. Lucky you.~"

          Yosuke pushed him away, looking startled, flustered, and annoyed in the same breadth, "Would you quit it with that!"

          Tirin just laughed. Behind him, Teddie sighed, "I'm disappointed too, Yosuke."

          Leaving the two to their torment, Yu followed Rhysana to a patch sequestered from the rest, with enough space to really let loose if they so desired. With a smile, Rhysana faced them, "So, who wants to go first?"

          Rise fidgeted, "Um, we're not actually using real swords, are we?"

          "Of course we are!" Rhysana replied, "Wooden ones are well and all, but it's better to practice with our real weapons so we can really get a feel for them. Also, a little danger will keep you on your toes. However, we do have a safety precaution to apply . . ."

          She pulled a small vial from her pocket, the dark flask making it impossible to discern what lay within, "This is a powder created from the roots of the aegis tree. Most people apply it to their armor for added protection, but practicing soldiers apply it to their weapons as safety precautions."

           "Safety precautions?" Yu echoed, tiling his head curiously.

          "Its better to show you," she said, gesturing to his sword. Realizing what she was after, he quickly drew his word and held it out to her, waiting to see what she would do.

          With a smile, Rhysana twisted off the cap and carefully tapped a small amount of shimmering black powder over the fuller of the sword. Yu's eyebrows went up as he watched the powder then melt across the blade like liquid smoke, until it solidified into a semi-solid and transparent shield that wrapped around the edges like a sheath.

          "Go on, give it a tap," Rhysana encouraged as she went to apply the same powder to Rise's sword.

          Yu did as she suggested, and to his surprise, felt his fingers bounce against something that felt strangely akin to rubber. Carefully, he ran his fingers over the blade's edge and found that it were smoothly blunt instead of razor sharp. It was still very solid, however, and he had no doubt it would hurt if he got hit with it.

          "So, this will make sure no one could get seriously hurt?" Rise asked, looking for reassurance.

          "No one will be accidently hacking someone's limbs off, I can promise you that. It will still hurt if you got hit by it though," Rhysana replied, tapping the last of the powder on her own sword, "But that's the point! Nothing sharpens a person's senses like the possibility of pain."

          Yu gave a soft sigh of relief, "That's good."

          Rise did look a little reassured by that, but she still held her rapier out awkwardly in front of her. Rhysana noticed, coming up to the girl and tapping a finger against the crook of her elbow, "Try not to hold it out like that. You need to keep your arm bent so you can react faster to attacks. Also, angle your body sideways, like this . . ."

          She stood next to the girl and demonstrated what she meant, feet spaced apart and body turned sideways. Rise analyzed it for a moment, then set out to copying her, falling into the stance almost perfectly. Her posture was still a little rigid though, knees straight and looking like she wasn't quite sure what to do with her left arm.

          "Try bending your knees a little," he put in helpfully, "It helps when you need to move quickly."

          Rhysana sent an approving smile his way before nodding to Rise, "A good point. Also, keep your other arm low. It won't do to have it sticking out where people can hit it."

          Rise followed their instructions to a T, and Rhysana nodded approvingly, "Very good."

          Yu watched as Rhysana then led Rise through a round of basic parries and thrusts, talking her through them patiently until she got them right. Yu appreciated the woman's slow pace, and he was content to wait for his turn. Out of all of them, Rise had the least amount of combat experience, and he was grateful for Rhysana taking that into consideration.

          He doubted that gracious level of patience would be there for him, however, especially considering what he saw going on the sidelines.

          Oh boy . . .

          -

          Yosuke liked to consider himself decently competent with a pair of knives, especially after the adventure through the tv world. Sure, he was no Altair, but he was still _good_ , and that was enough for his pride.

          But the daggers in his hand weren't his favorite pair of kunai, the weight all wrong and the leather of hilt rubbing awkwardly against his sweaty palms. But they were still knives and he would just have to make do, because like hell was he going to admit to being uncomfortable to the smug little ass standing in front of him.

          Tirin had drawn both his daggers, the green tint invisible beneath the glowing aura of the shield. Rocking back on his heels and watching them with mirthful eyes, he teased, "Come on, are we going to spar or are you just going to watch me all day? Not that I mind. True beauty is a rarity to find after all."

          _Eugh_ . . .

          "Shut up, I'm thinking," Yosuke snapped, hands clenching around his daggers.

          "Yeah, Yosuke's too smart to fall for your bearguiling tricks!" Teddie added from his spot next to Yosuke, and while he wanted to be pleased with the praise, he knew it had more to do with the weird heckling game the two had been playing practically since they'd met. Even if there was a small grain of truth in the statement . . . Yosuke was trying very hard to ignore his looks.

          N-not because he was attractive or whatever, but because he . . . well, he looked like Teddie. And different person or not, it was still hard to raise a weapon against someone who looked so much like his harmless friend.

          _But Tirin isn't harmless_ , he reminded himself. _Far from it. We learned that in the Underdark._

          He swallowed and tried not to think very hard about the fact that the person across from them was very much a killer. All their counterparts were. His own, too, most likely . . . but even that, oddly enough, didn't strike nearly as uncomfortable a chord as Tirin did. There was just something so _unsettling_ about that intrinsic difference between the annoying but good-natured bear who lived in his closet verses the energetic yet brutally realistic man before him. Like it shouldn't be there, but it was anyway. If he was being honest, it was probably because he knew Ted wouldn't even be able to hurt a fly with hateful intent. Tirin was . . . a different and troubling story.

          _Enough about that!_ he chided himself sternly, breaking off that line of thought, _Focus, man!_

          Tirin had wanted both of them to spar with him at the same time, which usually would be a good thing; strength in numbers and all that. But Yosuke had also seen Tirin in action, and knew he was leagues above their skill level, and that _wasn't_ including his magic powers. Which Yosuke tried not to be envious of. Running foolishly into a fight on ego alone was a sure fire way to get hurt, a lesson he'd learned the hard way in the tv world. So, instead he bided his time to think of a strategy. He gauged the distance between himself and the man, noting his seemingly relaxed posture as he waited for them to make a move. It was posturing, but Tirin had leverage to do it.

          It was good that the weird powder Tirin had used made sure their daggers wouldn't actually do any serious damage, otherwise this would be a lot more frightening.

          A v-attack might work best here. Come in at both sides so he had no choice but to defend one. Hopefully.

          "Hey, Ted, go for his left," he whispered under his breath. Teddie tensed, ready to spring into action when he gave the word.

          Tirin grinned.

          " _Go_ ," he hissed, and the two shot forward.

          They closed the distance quickly, but Tirin had already guessed their course of action beforehand, because suddenly he was running to meet him instead. Yosuke dug his heels into the muck, daggers coming up just in time  to block Tirin's attack. The aura of magic over their weapons blunted the ring of steel on steel, but it was still loud enough to fire up his senses. He jumped back as Tirin swung again, parrying one dagger and moving out of range of the other.

          But Tirin didn't move after him. Instead, he twisted sharply to his left, dodging as Teddie came up from behind him. The bear stumbled a bit as his attack met air, and that lapse gave Tirin enough time to step behind him and roughly kick him forward.

          Teddie almost crashed into him as a result, but Yosuke was able to get out of the way in time. Stepping in front of him till he could get his bearings, Yosuke braced himself as Tirin came at them again.

          It was hard keeping up with the flurry of attacks Tirin sent his way, and even then, Yosuke could tell he was holding back. Hell, he could have vanished into thin air at a moment's notice only to slip up behind him and take him out before he was none the wiser. Even when Teddie rejoined the fight, it wasn't doing much. Probably because Ted was holding back to, not because of any overwhelming skill, but because he didn't want to accidently hurt someone, even with the safeguard in place.

          He didn't know how long they traded mock blows, Tirin not giving an inch despite the two-on-one circumstances. But he couldn't complain, at least not yet. Had the gloaming been going his hardest, he could have taken them out ages ago.

          He watched as Tirin hopped out of range of one of Teddie's swipes, waiting for his own chance to move in, when suddenly he knelt down and swept his leg out, catching Teddie in the shins. Legs knocked out form under him, the blonde went down with cry, landing in the mud with a squelch.

          Before Yosuke could counter react, Tirin had shot up and at him, daggers thrust out.

          Pain shot through Yosuke's ribs as both daggers hit home, the points not piercing armor and skin, but still hitting hard enough to leave a bruise. He stumbled back, nearly losing his grip on his daggers but catching himself at the last minute. He braced himself for another charge, only to blink when he found the space before him empty.

          _Behind you, he's behind you!_ his instincts screamed the warning too late, as he felt cold metal press itself to his throat, blade ghosting over his jugular vein in what would have been a fatal slice. Blunted or not, Yosuke still seized up in anticipation.

          Until a cheery voice yelled right in his ear, "I win!"

          The dagger went away, and he breathed again, only to wince as pain flared up in his chest. No bones were broken, he was sure, but it still smarted something fierce. Tirin walked passed him, and he tried not to feel too embarrassed as the gloaming gave him a victorious smirk, "Not bad for a first try, and your pretty fast. If you knew how to be subtle, you'd make a pretty decent rogue!"

          "How the hell are you more subtle than me?!" Yosuke demanded indignantly, rubbing a hand against his aching chest.

          The man ignored him, "And you-" He knelt down to Teddie's level (who was kneeling in the mud) and sharply flicked his forehead, earning him a loud 'ouch' as he said, "Stop hesitating! If this was a real fight, you'd be dead."

          "I know, it's just-" Teddie pursed his lips together, looking at the floor, "I've never had to fight a person before . . ."

          "Well, one day you will. And it's a kill or be killed world, so you can't hesitate like that!" Tirin responded bluntly, "You want to be ready for that, don't you? So get up and try again!"

          "Whoa, hold on a second!" Yosuke protested, frowning, "We're doing this to improve our skills, not kill people!"

          Tirin threw him an exasperated glance, "Mm, that's nice and all, but that's not what's going to save your life when it counts. It's not nice, I know, but it's the truth. Don't you want to protect you're friends? Don't you want to protect Yu?"

          Yosuke glared at him, but it soon diminished into a sullen frown. As much as he wanted to be angry, he knew that Tirin _was_ just being honest with them, as terrible as it was. And he did want to protect his friends! He did want to protect Yu! But he still wanted to cling to his optimism, because damn it, he didn't want this world to change him that much! They'd gotten this far without taking lives, however deserved, and he wasn't going to start now!

          Even as he thought that, he could hear a darker voice whisper in the back of his mind, _How long do you think  that optimism will last, huh? This place ain't gonna bend over backwards to make it easy for you, and you know it. Hell, for all you know, the other you might have said shit like that too. And deep down, you gotta wonder . . . did Tirin used to be a sweet kid like Teddie, before this world beat it out of him? You know that's what it could be. You know that's what could happen to you, to Ted, to all of you. Because that's what it calls for. That's_ reality _._

He didn't try to ignore it, for he knew better than to quash the voice that made him uncomfortable. But he still didn't give it much in the way of succor, either.

          After a few moments of watching them sit in silence, Tirin sighed, "Let's just get back on track," with a punch more cheer, he added, "Hands on training is the best training, after all! Now come on, up, up! Or do I have to bring Cahira over here?"

          Yosuke winced, "No, no, don't do that! We're up, we're ready!"

          Teddie stood up too, but didn't jump in with his usual enthusiasm. Understanding why, he gave the bear a brief but encouraging nudge to his shoulder to snap him out of it, like he used to after a particularly hard and draining fight in the tv world. Teddie glanced at him, and though it didn't break through the soberness completely, it still won him a small smile.

          "Hey, let's get to it! Keep me standing around, I may just freeze my toes off!" Tirin called out to them.

          "Yeah, what a shame that would be," Yosuke mumbled, but he dropped into another stance and cleared his mind regardless.

          Focus.

          -

          "So, have you ever used a quarterstaff?"

          Chie rubbed the back of her head at the question, "No, not really. I usually let my feet do the talking for me. You know?" with a touch of nervousness, she continued, "T-that's not a problem, right?"

          Cahira waved a hand at her, "Nope, not at all! We'll just test your hand-to-hand first then. I'm eager to see just how sharp your reflexes really are!"

          Chie had to swallow down her excited anticipation, but even as she set the staff she'd been given down, it felt like her whole body was jittering on a caffeine overdose! Ever since she'd found out Cahira as a monk (a monk!), Chie had been practically smitten. Sure, she'd hoped, but she didn't actually think her wish would come true! A real life kung-fu master (even if the word 'kung-fu' was kinda met with blank stares . . .), the image of herself she'd dreamed up as a young girl.

          True, Cahira wasn't exactly spouting wisdom every five minutes and like the guru sages in her movies, but hey, Chie could admit she wouldn't exactly make the wisest monk either! All the same, her desire to learn more about her counterpart ate at her like a plague. Even now, her imagination kept firing into overdrive as she thought of every detail of her movies and books she'd learned by heart and tried applying them to Cahira. How many of the tropes and stereotypes would stack up to the fantasy before her? She had to find out!

          But first, _sparring_! With a genuine _monk_! God, if that didn't just make her want to wiggle with excitement!

          She might have actually been wiggling with excitement, because not a moment later did Cahira laugh, "Okay, okay, calm down. Channel that energy into your fights, and you'll have nothing to worry about!"

          Chie nodded, forcing herself to still.

          _Remember your own training, dummy!_ she thought to herself. With a deep breath to steady her nerves, she slid back into a readied crouch, hands up and body angled sideways.

          Cahira smiled, then spaced her feet apart, arms remaining at her sides save for the slight bend of her elbows, palms turned to the ground. She did not move after that, and their own personal space in the field fell silent, as if filled with anticipation of it's own.

          Okay, she'd since this scenario in her films before. The master always played it simple, like they weren't a threat, but that obviously was never the case. As soon as Chie moved to attack, Cahira would counter it with a move of her own. So, how could she counter it? What could she use to her advantage here to make up for the gap in skill?

          She didn't get to ponder it more, because suddenly Cahira was running for her.

          _Wha-?!_

          She brought both her arms together to form a shield over her stomach right as the kick came, but even then, she felt the blow reverberate through her skeleton! It knocked her back into the ground, but Chie was able to use the momentum to roll back onto her feet. Mud slicked the left side of her armor and she felt it stick at the base of her neck, but she only barely registered it before Cahira was coming at her again.

          She backpedaled, narrowly dodging the jabs that came at her. But she was thrown of balance for only a moment. Digging her left heel into the mud, Chie pushed back and lashed out with her other leg, nearly landing a solid hit. The tip of her foot clipped Cahira in the side, but it didn't seem like it did any damage. Not deterred in the slightest, Chie followed that attack with a strong sidekick, aiming for the woman's chest. Her foot landed, but Cahira had blocked it, and before Chie could pull back her fingers clamped around the sole of her boot with the strength of iron shackles. With a quick twist of her arm, Chie suddenly found herself on her stomach, gasping and trying to spit mud out of her mouth.

          _Eugh, that tastes awful!_

          She pushed herself up to her knees, feeling a bit embarrassed about how easily she'd been tossed around. But then, she was dealing with a bona-fide monk here, what could she expect?

          "Not bad," Cahira commented, kneeling next to her, "But next time, don't wait so long to attack. An enemy isn't going to wait for you, you have seize the moment and follow your instincts! Plan as you fight, but don't leave yourself so open."

          Chie lowered her head, face flushing red at the lecture. She was right, that had been pretty stupid to expect her to sit and wait while Chie hashed it all out in her head, "Yeah, you're right . . . that was pretty dumb."

          "Learn this lesson now," Cahira pressed, "Because in a real fight, you won't have that luxury. It's moments like those that often decides who lives and who dies in a fight."

          At this, Chie gave an involuntary wince, which Cahira noticed immediately, "What's wrong?"

          "It doesn't . . . have to go that far, does it?" Chie asked hesitantly, "I mean winning, yeah, of course, but beyond that . . ."

          Cahira studied her silently, long enough to make Chie shimmy uncomfortably from both the weight of her stare and the chill of the mud as it began to seep into her bones. Then, "It is not the act of killing that makes one wicked. It is the intent. Strike only those who would drag us into chaos, but never without surety of principle, and never with malice in your heart," Cahira's lips turned up into a wistful smile, "That's one of the first creeds I was taught when I was just beginning. I don't like taking lives. None of us do. But I know that in some cases, its better than the alternatives. And in those times, I remember what my master taught me."

          Chie looked away, the anxious knot in her stomach not lessening, "I don't know. I-I mean, I get why you do it. But . . . when I think of actually doing something like that myself, it . . . it just doesn't feel _right,_ you know?"

          Cahira's smile grew a little more at that, "I know. And I'm glad you feel that way, because it means you won't forget the value of life, no matter who it is. But hopefully, that'll be a last resort," she rose to her feet, an exuberant shine replacing the melancholy from before, "On a more positive note, you've got some powerful legs on you! I actually felt that last hit."

          Chie dared be hopeful, "R-really?"

          "Oh yeah! A bit of practice on how to concentrate your chi, and you'll be making dents in armor in no time!"

          That bit got Chie's attention, "Concentrate my chi?"       

          "Life energy. It's in everything, monks just know how to use it for offensive purposes," Cahira explained.

          The whole chi thing reminded her of tai chi, which in turn reminded her of Jet Li, and that made Chie feel a little better. Yes, it would always be on her mind, but she wanted to remain hopeful that it wouldn't have to come to that. Quietly, she committed Cahira's words to memory, like many of her favored quotes from movies. Quotes that could act as a good motivator when she was feeling down or scared. Even now, as she mulled them over, she felt her heart lift just a little more.

          She blinked at the hand Cahira extended to her, then smiled as she accepted it, allowing herself to be pulled back to her feet.

          "Ready for round two?" Cahira asked her.

          Chie grin split her face as she answered, "Always!"

          -

          Yukiko snapped her hand forward, releasing her fan at just the right moment so it would spin gracefully through the air, serrated edge biting into the rucksack of the straw-filled dummy. It cut clean, leaving a thin gash in the cloth as it sailed back to her.

          She caught it easily, a skill that came with many months of practice, and she smiled in satisfaction to know it hadn't diminished. True, the magic Ylvaria had used to make it so the fan's edges wouldn't cut would help if she flubbed it, but it was nice to not have to rely on it.

          She'd been doing a bit too much of that lately . . .

          "Good," Ylvaria said approvingly, "You clearly already know what your doing, so no need to go through the basics. But tell me, have you ever gone up against someone up close?"

          "Well, sometimes, but I usually had my perso-" Yukiko bit back the words before they could be spoken. Honestly, she wondered if it would make a difference if they told their counterparts about their personas, but years of secrecy was a hard habit to break.

          "Personal bodyguard!" she saved, hoping Ylvaria bought it, "Chie would usually keep, uh, them off me. She's very good at it."

          Ylvaria lifted a delicate eyebrow, "I believe she is. But was she really your bodyguard?"

          It was asked in earnest, but Yukiko still fidgeted, pinching the tip of one the fan blades between her fingers, "Well, sort of. She usually just did it on her own. Really, she's just being a good friend that way."

          "Anyway . . ." Ylvaria continued, and Yukiko wondered if she should feel worried at the sly smile that appeared on her fair face, "You and me have another secret mission to see too."

          Yukiko's interest immediately rose, eyes widening slightly at the possibility of trouble, "Secret mission? What kind of secret mission?"

          "A special little test," Ylvaria idly spun her own fan around before asking Yukiko a peculiar question, "Tell me, have you ever wanted to use magic?"

          "Well, when I was little, I always wanted to be a witch! Flying around on broomsticks and turning people into toads sounded like fun! Thinking about it, it would be pretty useful now, actually . . ." Yukiko trialed off when the real weight behind Ylvaria's words sunk in, and she gasped instead, "Wait, are you saying you're going to teach me?!"

          Ylvaria giggled, the sound reminiscent of bells. Yukiko wondered if that was just an elf thing, because she'd never met a human who laughed like that.

          "Slow down there, initiate! Nyras and I just want to see if it's possible," Ylvaria clapped both hands around the hilt of her fan, smiling, "You and your friends say that there is no magic where you're from, so we might just be grasping at straws here. But, that doesn't mean we can't try."

          Well, there _was_ magic . . . just not the kind Ylvaria was thinking of. And even then, none of them could use it without their personas. But maybe . . . could the rules change here?

          A childish surge of excitement made her bounce on her toes, "You really think it's possible? We could use it here?"

          Ylvaria watched her in amusement, "That's what we're going to find out. Now, we aren't going to be casting actual spells, because even the most basic ones takes weeks of practice to master. So no toads-"

          Yukiko deflated, "Oh . . ."

          "But that doesn't mean we can't scope you out to see if you have potential," Ylvaria continued.

          Interest returned, "How do we do that?"

          "Well, it depends on the profession, as well as the type of magic," Ylvaria reached around to her belt and pulled up the disk she'd seen dangling against her side, holding it up so Yukiko could see it in full. A half-disk of bronze rested in the elf's hands, a ring of golden metal in the shape of a rising sun emblazoned on the surface. The curved sheets of metal resembling the sun's rays didn't go beyond the ends of the disk itself, each point girding to the edges and no more. The black strap was attached the corner, so when Ylvaria held it up, it dangled sideways. Strange enough, it looked something else was supposed to attack to flat side of the disk, like a missing piece . . .

          "For example, I'm a cleric, so my magic comes from a divine source. And I doubt you and your friends are faithful to a deity of this world."

          Yukiko shook her head, "No, we're not. Even back home, I don't think any of us are exceptionally religious . . ."

          "That's fine. Divine magic isn't what we're testing you for," Ylvaria proceeded to tie her emblem back to her belt before pulling out a thin strip of paper the color of aged papyrus from her satchel, "Now, hold this."

          With a quirk of a slender eyebrow, Yukiko gently plucked the strip from Ylvaria's hand. It felt sandpaper-y, all rough and grating against the skin, and Yukiko wondered what sort of paper this was.

          "Shouldn't we have the others try it with us?" Yukiko asked, glancing at the training area. Most everyone was engaged in practice, so none of them were looking their way. As she watched, she caught sight of Chie across the way, and she had to smile at the energy her friend was exuding as she sparred with Cahira. Despite the mud smeared across her face, she could still see the sparkle in her eyes as she exchanged a graceful flurry of kicks with her counterpart, as alive and energetic as she always was. She looked back when Ylvaria cleared her throat, and Yukiko wasn't sure if she should ask what that almost devious glint in her eyes was about.

          "We're here just to see if it's even possible," Ylvaria explained to her, "If we're actually successful, then we'll bring it up with the rest. Alright?"

          Yukiko nodded in understanding, "That makes sense. Okay, I'm ready to start!"

          "Now, hold it between both hands," Ylvaria instructed her, nodding when she did as asked, "Now, do you see that little rune at the center?"

          Yukiko looked, and indeed saw a small symbol done in black ink; two downward facing crescent lines, one over the other, a line running vertically through them, a small dot at the very bottom. She wondered if it meant something.

          "Now, I want you to focus on it," Ylvaria said, "Concentrate, and don't let anything else distract you."

          The girl nodded, looking only at the rune and letting the sounds around her drain away. She'd done this before lots of times in the tv world; summoning her persona had always taken concentration and willpower, and in fights, she couldn't let anything distract her as she healed her teammates or incinerated an enemy. She wondered if it was like that here. Albeit, her persona felt easier to manage and control . . . after all, it was a part of her.

           She closed her eyes, digging a little deeper for that spring of power that existed in her soul. Frustratingly, Sumeo-Okami was still out of her reach, a flicker rather than a bonfire. But she was still _there_ . . .

          Heat shot through her fingertips, and her eyes flew open just in time to see the paper suddenly go up in flames. With a startled gasp, she flung it away, watching as it burned away into embers as it fell to the ground. Her fingers felt hot, and a little raw to the touch, but she hardly noticed as she gaped at the ashes now cooling in the mud.

          _O-oh my gosh, how did I do that?!_

          She looked to her counterpart for answers, only to find her shocked expression being mirrored by the elf, eyebrows up and mouth hanging slightly ajar. Voice soft with unconcealed surprise, she murmured, "That was . . . unusual."

          That didn't bode well, "Unusual? How is it unusual, what did I do?"

          "Well, normally, the rune would just glow if it sensed your potential. It doesn't usually . . . blow up like that," Ylvaria looked at her, a probing look in her eyes, "Are you certain there's no magic in your world?"

          Yukiko opened her mouth, then closed it again, honestly not sure how to answer. Because that couldn't have been her persona she'd used just then . . . not the real one anyway.

          Right?

          "Hm . . ." Ylvaria pressed her lips together, no doubt suspicious of her silence. But she let it slide, "We'll talk more about it later. For now, tell me what you felt."

          "Um, well . . ." what had she felt? Confused, definitely. But when it happened . . . "I felt hot? But it didn't hurt or anything. It was kinda of nice, actually . . . mm, that doesn't make a lot of sense, does it?"

          "It's clear enough," Ylvaria said, and a small, but pleased smile came to her face, "Whatever you did, that slip of paper still told us all we needed to know. You have potential."

          Yukiko's eyes widened, shock mingling with elation and bewilderment and making her feel lightheaded. Strangely enough, it made her giggle. A giggle that turned into a chuckle, and then a laugh, because despite the weirdness and the uncertainty and the impossibility, she could use magic!

          _She could use magic!_

          And if she could polish it into something worthwhile, she wouldn't have to rely on others for her protection. She could heal her friends and not have to watch helplessly on the sidelines again.

          She couldn't wait to tell Chie!

          -

          Another strident clang rang over the field as Kanji's hammer crashed into the shield Korval had brought with him, flat head leaving a small dent in the metal. Korval grunted but held his ground, arm not even shuddering under the impact despite the sweat on his brow.

          "Come on, you call that a swing!" the half-orc taunted, slamming a fist against the shield, "My ma could do better than that!"

          Kanji grit his teeth, anger coiling in his stomach. He was doing it on purpose, he knew, but it was still irritating. Especially since his hits seemed to be doing nothing to the man, even though they'd been at it non-stop for . . . ah, he didn't know! For a while! His arms were starting to burn, the muscles aching with every break between his attacks. He was used to it, so it wasn't a particularly annoying sensation. Not like Korval's taunts, which kept getting under his skin despite his best efforts to ignore it. Korval said this exercise was to improve his stamina and give him a feel for two-handed weapons, but right now it just felt like the older man was heckling him for no reason. They were getting along great before, but it seemed his 'poor' performance had really turned that on its ear and soured Korval's disposition, and that made him upset. And Korval's unending derision was just making it worse.

          "I know humans are weak, but I didn't think you'd be this puny!"

          With a growl, Kanji went at him again, throwing all his weight into the swing. Another clang rang over the field, but again, Korval didn't budge.

          The half-orc gave a contemptuous snort, "If this is your best, you aren't goin' to protect anyone."

          Kanji glared at him. Korval could kick his ass, no question, but at that particular moment in time, he didn't care, "You know what, ya need to shut up!"

          "You gonna make me? I'm just pointin' out the facts!" Korval yelled back, "You talk a big game about keepin' your friends safe, but talkin' ain't gonna cut it in a real fight! And that's what's gonna get 'em killed!"

          "Hey, you don't know shit about me!" he snapped back, "I'd put down my life for those guys!"

          "Then quit talkin' and start showin' me something that isn't pathetic!"

          With a yell, Kanji went at him again, swinging hard but still failing to even push the bigger man back. Korval grunted, "Just what I thought. Startin' to think I'm wastin' my time."

          "Hey, I'm not done yet!" Kanji called out to him, seething internally.

          "Oh yeah? Cause that's not what your actions say," he replied, "How do ya think you're gonna protect anyone like this huh? How do ya think you're gonna protect Naoto?"

          _That_ hit Kanji much harder than it should have, "H-hey, leave her outta this-"

          "One fuck up, that's all it would take," Korval went on, ignoring Kanji's steadily rising anger, "You don't take out an enemy quick enough or stand your ground like you should, and she goes down, it's on you. Because you weren't there to keep her safe. Because you were too weak to stop it!"

          "Be quiet!"

          "She'll be dead, and it'll be _your_ fault!"

          "I said _SHUT UP!_ " The hammer went down faster than Kanji himself even registered, and he kept swinging, one clang after the other with every relentless pound. He was just angry now, angry enough that his vision was tinting red, because how _dare_ this stupid asshole wearing his face say he wasn't good enough to protect her! How dare he say he'd let her down!

          He swung again, the hammer catching against the rim of the shield and actually ripping it clean away from Korval's arm, but by the time he realized that had happened, he was already in the motion of his next swing.

          _Crunch!_

           The hammer connected with the side of Korval's jaw, and Kanji backpedaled in horror, jaw gaping and muscles freezing still. His fingers went slack, hammer falling into the mud with a heavy squelch, and for a few horrendously long seconds, all he could hear was own pounding heart. Then, he started stuttering in panic, "O-oh _shit_ , dude, I-I didn't mean to do that, I swear-!"

          But then, Korval threw his head back and _laughed_ , "HAHAHA, that's more _like_ it!"

          Kanji's plaintive ramblings stumbled to a bewildered halt, "U-uh, I-I . . . huh?"

          Korval grinned, wiping the blood dribbling out of the corner of his mouth with the pad of his thumb, "You felt that anger right? How strong it made you? It didn't matter who I was to you then, you just wanted to shut me up no matter how impossible it might be."

          ". . ." he didn't say anything, because his mind was still reeling from the shock of accidently clocking someone in the face with a hammer, a someone who was now laughing it off like it was a love tap. Just who the fuck was his counterpart, anyway . . . ?

          A pair of fingers snapped together in front of his face, and he blinked back into reality, "What?"

          "You gettin' what I'm sayin'?" Korval asked again, "Hey kid, ya in there?"

          "U-uh, yeah . . ." Kanji shuffled awkwardly on his feet, his anger dissipating like the white puffs of air from his lungs dispersing in the breeze, "I did feel it. That 'anger'. And yeah, I did wanna shut you up. But I didn't think I'd actually hit ya . . ."

          Korval rapped a hand against his arm, "Nah, nothin' I can't handle. You got some good power in those swings."

          Kanji pursed his lips, huffing somewhat accusingly, "None of that 'I'm so puny' stuff anymore?"

          "I needed to get ya riled up," Korval explained, pushing a finger against Kanji's chest, "Cause that anger you felt, that can make you strong. And when you turn it on your enemies, that makes you a terror. I needed to get you to bring it out where you could actually use it."

          "So . . . you were baitin' me?"

          "Basically. And now that ya know it, all you have to do is learn how to bring it out when you need it and how to direct it in combat," Korval said, picking up the badly dented shield. Heh, he'd . . . done a lot of damage in that last attack. Korval really had just been trying to lure out a side that could actually do something. A part that wouldn't leave him so helpless.

          But still . . .

          "Ya kinda deserved that hit, though," Kanji said.

          Korval laughed.

          -

          _Thunk!_

          Another bolt struck the dummy square in the chest, in perfect symmetry with the other dummies lining the edge of the field. Not quite killing blows, but enough to stop someone in their tracks. With a satisfied sigh, Naoto braced her foot in the stirrup and gripped the string in both hands, pulling until it clicked home. Now that it was safely cocked, she loaded another bolt into the weapon and lifted it back into her hands. The recoil had not been as ad as she expected, and it was well enough made that its accuracy was fairly stable. The most perturbing part was the slowness of reloading a single bolt, a process that took at least fifteen seconds to complete whereas with her gun she wouldn't have to bother until she got six shots off. That, and it also started to hurt after a while.

          "Very good," she heard Nyras say behind her, watching with a cool and level stare, "Now aim for their heads."

          Ah . . . of course.

          In the past, she'd gone to many a shooting gallery, as was par for the course of her police training. Each rink had always carried a poster with a vaguely humanoid print upon the paper. The purpose for such was obvious; as servants of the law, there may come a time where one would have to put down a threat to society through lethal force rather than subjugation. It was a reminder of their oath as well as preparation for a very real possibility. When she accepted her badge, she had been under no illusions that such could be the outcome of a case she took. Any case at all. She was under no illusions now.

          But she found her finger faltering over the trigger.

          She knew it was foolish. This world was not like her own. In this world, criminals could not be caroled into a corner and leeched of their supplies and willpower until they surrendered. She could not find an alternative to every situation that would not call for violence. She could not spare lives and leave them to authorities all the time. She could not be merciful.

          As much as she wanted to be . . .

          A hand appeared on her shoulder, steadying and sure, "Don't see them as 'people'. I know the temptation is strong, but in a fight, it will only limit you. Remember, the ones you will face will not be ones worth sparing. They will be cold, cruel, and merciless. They would be willing to sacrifice even innocent children if it furthered their goals. They would have no qualms with cutting you or the ones you care about down. Instead, see them for what they are; monsters. And see yourself as the weapon that drives them back from those who cannot defend themselves. Distance and depersonalize."

          Naoto sucked in a breath, focusing her gaze back on the dummy before her. It was nothing but a cloth sack stuffed with hay. But in her mind's eye, she saw a drow, dragging an innocent girl down into the darkness, to a life of slavery and suffering. She saw a demon, with slavering jaws and wicked eyes, descending upon a harmless hamlet that could not defend itself, to sow destruction and reap their souls. She saw it's master, a human loathsome enough to summon it into this world to do harm for no other reason than he could.

          _Distance and depersonalize . . ._

          She squeezed the trigger.

          _Thunk!_

          . . . a perfect hit.

          The hand on her shoulder vanished, Nyras stepping back to her place, eyes cool and level as she observed, "Very good. Again."

          -

          "Excellent!" Rhysana cheered as Rise parried her blow successfully, "Now, I want you to practice that set until I get back to you, okay! I expect an excellent performance when I return!"

          Rise looked at her, puzzled, "Where are you going?"

          "To duel Yu, of course!"

          Yu stood up a little straighter at the sound of his name. Ah . . . now was his time. With a graceful curve of her hand, she beckoned Yu out to give Rise some space, leaving them to their own little spot at the tail end of the field.

          "Good luck, Senpai!" Rise called after him, but remaining behind to dutifully practice her techniques.

          Rhysana was smiling at him as she dropped into a stance, lightly hopping up and down without actually leaving the ground as she teased, "I hope you're ready, darling! I'm not going easy on you!"

          Yu brought his sword to his side, fingers clenching tight around the hilt, "I wouldn't want you too."

          They stayed still, staring at one another as silence fell between them.

          Then Rhysana bolted forward, rapier lashing for his exposed side. His guard was up immediately, going through the motions he had learned in the tv world, the rapier landing solidly against the flat of his blade.

          He quickly learned that Rhysana was _much_ stronger than she looked, and he almost lost his balance as she pushed into him with a startling amount of force. He corrected it quickly, bracing his left foot back and pushing her away from him. But she was agile, slashing to his right, then his left, then back again, putting up a relentless pace that kept him on his toes as he blocked and dodged her strikes.

          _Damn, she is good_ , he thought as he blocked another blow, blades locking together as they pressed for dominance. He saw the coy upturn of her lips just over their grating swords, the porcelain skin of her face scattered with fractals of color from her prismatic blade. She did not look even the least bit threatened.

          They pulled back at the same time, a space that lasted for a only a heartbeat before they went back at it. He feinted at her left, and when she went to block, he swung instead for her wrist, hoping to knock the sword from her hand. But she was quick, spinning the blade out of reach and slashing down his arm as he tried to maneuver away. He felt the tip bruise painfully, skin throbbing beneath his armor, but it didn't cut. The shield made sure of that.

          It was strange, but he actually found himself almost having fun. It was such a break compared to the fights they'd been in thus far, and the fact that they were actually doing something about their predicament felt accomplishing. That, and it was genuinely nice to spar with someone without the threat of death looming over him. She was a good sword player too.

          He ducked as Rhysana went for his head, rushing forward and swiping at her legs. She jumped over it, and he had just enough time to roll to the left and avoid her downward strike. He could feel the chill of the mud against his cheek, but he ignored it.

          "Getting tired?" she asked teasingly.

          He smiled confrontationally, feeling energy spark through his nerves and wire him up, "Not at all."

          She came at him again, flicking her blade rapidly in front of her and making it hard to block them all. He stepped back where he could, avoiding her slashes, looking for an opportunity to counter.

          He got one when she lunged at him, aiming for his chest, and he parried it with a practiced swipe. Following through, he spun his sword around and struck at her shoulder.

          But she stepped to the side just in time, the blade so close he could see the cloth of her shirt ripple with it's passing. That was the last thing he saw before Rhysana arced her sword up and clipped him hard in the chin with the tip of her sword.

          The attack stunned him, and he didn't break out of it in time before she had hooked her foot around his ankle and yanked him off his feet.

          He went down, landing on his back with a thud that left him winded. His sword fell beside him, sinking a little into the mud as it waited for it's owner to collect it. He felt muck caking to the back of his head, spiking his hair in ways he didn't want to think about, especially not with a sword pressed against his adam's apple. Rhysana stood over him, smiling victoriously as she braced a cocky hand to her hip. Enviously, he saw that she had somehow managed to escape the mud.

          Wincing a bit at the pain in his chin, he asked, "How do you do that?"

          Rhysana tilted her head to one side, "Do what?"

          "Escape the mud?"

          She laughed, pulling her sword back and helping him to his feet, "Well, it's a bit of woman's intuition, a bit of impeccable grace, and another bit of 'my little secret'!"

          "So no tips on how to avoid this," he replied, gesturing to all of himself with a smile.

          She grinned, leaning in almost conspiratorially as she spoke, "Well, it's a little known secret in this land that you can be rid of the maladies of the earth with a little soap and water. I know, it's a miracle."

          "Ah, of course! On my honor, I shall only use this knowledge for good," he said, placing a hand of his heart in mock salute.

          Rhysana curtsied, "Happy to be of assistance," she then straightened, tapping him on the shoulder with the tip of her sword, "Now back up! It's time for round two!"

          Yu nodded, recollecting his sword with a smile. In the course of action and reaction, it helped him forget his troubles for a short time, anxiety and fear left in the mud as he traded another exchange of blows with Rhysana.

          He didn't notice the shadow in the trees. A shadow that was watching him intently with an amused smile on it's face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My fingers are deeeeeead.


	20. Fair Weather for a Field Test

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long one, done over many days of 'working on something else' and 'hella laziness'. 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy it! ;)

          Yu was on his back again, limbs splayed out around him and laying inert as he fought to catch his breath. The clouds above him were moving slowly, pushed along by the wind that had stirred up as practice went on, and he found their languid and repetitious movement soothing as the burn in his arms and legs eased. He caught a whiff of water mingling with the breeze, crisp and clean and strangely refreshing. He imagined more rain was on the way.

          A face appeared over his own, and the world came back into focus as Rhysana idly chimed, "Stay down there any longer, and you'll sink into the mud.~"

          Yu smiled tiredly, then pushed himself upright with his arms, ignoring the way they trembled with exertion. Hours had passed by now, the day fading to the afternoon, and Rhysana had relentlessly put him through his paces, testing his limits with every round they went. Unfortunately, her martial expertise and his lack of legitimate training meant she could pinpoints weaknesses in his swordplay and defenses, which she'd then exploit if he didn't cover them quickly enough. But even if he played his part to perfection, he was always the one to be knocked off his feet. It didn't help that as soon as he started to get her stratagems down, she'd switch up and press him even harder than before.

          That wasn't to say he hadn't given Rhysana a hard time with it. He'd been able to break through her own defenses several times, landing pretty solid hits and on one occasion almost managing to trip her up as she became lax in her stance. She'd saved it, but he was pretty proud of the damage he had done, as well as the way her breaths came harder as fatigue ate at her. She _was_ better of than he was, currently, but with some polish and more practice, Yu could see his skills rising to something that could pose a very real challenge.

          He stood up, shivering slightly as the mud slicked against his bare skin. During combat, it wasn't so much of a bother, as he was actively moving around and working up a sweat. But in the lull between, it was just cold and gross feeling. He must be filthy by now, come to think of it . . .

          His stomach gave a low growl, and he blushed a bit as Rhysana laughed, "Worked up an appetite, did you?"

          "Well, I can't really deny what my stomach just said," he replied, scratching a finger along the underside of his jaw.

          Her eyes twinkled, "Then I guess we'll just have to listen!"

          Turning from him, she gestured for Rise to stop (she'd been practicing almost non-stop since they'd started. Poor girl looked beat) before waving to get Nyras' attention, "Hey, Nyras, let's stop for now! It's about lunchtime, anyway!"

          The ranger nodded, speaking to Naoto as the girl took aim again. Naoto paused, then lowered her crossbow, sighing a bit as her shoulders relaxed.

          It wasn't long until word spread, and soon they were all gathered at the edge of the field.

          "Ugh . . ." Yosuke groaned, kneading his fingers into his shoulder with a wince. Mud caked his legs from the knee down, some of it smeared across his arms, and Yu could see a bruise forming along the edge of his chin, "Who knew someone so tiny could pack so much of a punch . . ."

          "It's not your fault, you were just dealing with a devilish master of deception and misdirection! And a sexy one at that!" Tirin crowed heartily, sweeping a hand along his hair in a manner that was all about showing off. There may have been sparkles.

          "You got 'devil' right . . ." Yosuke ground the words out through his teeth, glaring at the blonde.

          Tirin smirked, "Ooh, is that the voice of envy I hear? You know, it's perfectly acceptable to admit it! Not everyone can be as good as me.~"

          Yosuke pointedly looked away, and the gloaming laughed as he nudged Teddie in the ribs, "What about you? Satisfied with your training, cub?"

          "Abearsolutely not!" Teddie declared, a petulant frown on his face as he gestured to his muck-covered self, "Look at me! I'm a travesty! My bearutiful silky locks and fair skin, lost beneath a mire of yuck! How will I attract the ladies now?!"

           "Uh-huh," Tirin replied, sounding bored even though Yu could just see the faintly amused upturn of his lips, "Guess you'll have to bank on your charming personality to woo the lovelies of the world. Hm, no wonder your upset."

          Teddie looked affronted, "Grr, I'll have you know-!"

          Yu shook his head as the two started another spat. Oh no, it was already starting to become familiar . . .

          "A-bear-solutely?" he heard Yukiko muse, eyebrows knit together as she pondered, "That doesn't flow very well at all . . ."

          Next to her, Ylvaria giggled, "'Bearutiful'. And his name is Teddie! Is that where he decided to take his bear theme from?"

          "You could say that," Yukiko replied, rolling her wrist out to ease away the kinks.

          "Man, I'm beat . . ." Kanji mumbled some distance away, shoulder popping as he rolled it back, "Hope there's some food after this."

          "Warriors fight best on full stomachs!" Korval gave his young other a swift pat to the shoulder, "Don't worry, we'll get some grub soon."

          Next to them, Chie was the complete opposite of worn-out, grinning from ear to ear even as she ran her forearm across her forehead to wipe away the sweat, "Man, that was so great! We'll do it again sometime, right?"

          Cahira smiled, looking pleased by her enthusiasm, "Course! But first, we eat. Doesn't do to work yourself to the point of starvation."

          "Yeah, yeah! Back home, I had a whole schedule to go by to maximize efficiency! Oh, I also had meat gum too during reps. That helped," Chie responded, real deep in the mindset of 'training' by now and all too happy to enthuse over it with Cahira.

          But now the monk was looking at her in puzzlement, head tilting slightly to the left, "Gum?"

          "Uh, yeah . . . right . . ." Chie murmured, awkwardly sliding a hand through her hair despite the mud clinging to it.

          "Be careful, Chie-chan, you don't want to smear the mud into your hair. It'll be a nightmare to get out otherwise," Rise put in helpfully, though she was cringing a bit at the brunette's plastered locks.

          "Sage advice," Rhysana added with a nod and a smile, "I'd listen to it."

          "Oh, uh, right!" Chie pulled her hand down, looking a little self-conscious as she shuffled from foot to foot.

          "Alright, everyone settle down," Nyras ordered, and everyone quieted to hear what she had to say, "The rain will be picking up again soon, so we will have to call this an end for today. But I believe we can end it on a positive note; you all did very well. In fact, I'd say you surpassed our expectations with your performances."

          Everyone's faces brightened at that.

          "Really?" Chie asked, beaming proudly.

          "Alright!" Kanji crowed, grinning now.

          "Well, nice to know we weren't total disappointments," Yosuke added in his usual way, though there was a small gleam of satisfaction in his eyes as he spoke.

          Yu smiled, feeling a bubble of contentment well up inside. True, they had a ways to go before they were on the Champions level, but hearing praise from them was oddly fulfilling. He and his friends weren't starting completely from scratch, after all, and it was nice to hear that recognized.

          "Not disappointing at all, but don't think that doesn't mean you can't improve," Cahira chimed in, arms akimbo as she stared meaningfully in his direction.

          "You guys clearly know what you're doin', but your form's are all clunky," Korval added, crossing his burly arms, "You're self-taught, aren't you?"

          "W-well, yeah," Yosuke stuttered, rubbing the back of his neck, "Don't exactly have teachers for this kind of stuff where we live, you know?"

          "Well, you have teachers now, and we're going to work with you until your styles are as polished as Tylasian silver!" Rhysana said with conviction, and Yu wasn't sure if he should be worried about that or not.

          "If I may ask . . ." Nyras began, a curious spark in her eyes, "What exactly prompted all of you to teach yourselves in the ways of combat? By your own account, your world does not have the dangers inherit in our own."

          Oh . . . _there_ was the question. Of course Nyras would wonder why they knew how to fight at all.

          Thankfully, Naoto stepped in with the save, "Our world doesn't have things like demons or dragons, its true, but it is still beholden to other dangers. We simply took it upon ourselves to learn some manner of self-defense, and it grew from there."

          "Then why didn't you all just use guns?" that question came from Tirin, who had laced his hands behind his head and was watching with interest, "That seemed a lot easier to use, and more effective."

          "Ah, that is because not everyone here has license to use one. My work as a detective and subsequent ties to the police gives me leave to carry one, and even then, I had to undergo training and a psychological screening before I was given my license," Naoto explained, alternating hands on her crossbow, the wood creaking slightly with the change.

          "So instead we just picked styles we liked, like my sword and Yukiko's fan," Yu added, taking it up from there, "And practiced with those."

          Nyras nodded, but there was a small frown on her face that Yu had seen before with Naoto. She either wasn't quite believing everything they said, or she did but knew they were . . . omitting a few details. Which, in any case, didn't bode well for the future. It wasn't necessarily a matter of not trusting them or anything, but more like he honestly didn't know how they were going to explain the concept of Personas and Shadows to them.

          "Well, it's a good thing you did. It means all we have to do is fill in the holes with proper education!" Ylvaria said, a pleased look on her face. She clapped her hands together, "And even better, it may be that physical weapons don't have to be your only mode of defense!"

          Yu's eyebrows furrowed at her words, his confusion deepening when Nyras perked up and said, "So I take it your test was a success?"

          "With flying colors!" Ylvaria replied with a smile, "Unexpected colors, really. You should have _seen_ it Nyras."

          "Oh, oh, oh!" Yukiko was now up and practically quivering with excitement, running to Chie's side and clasping the girl's hand in barely contained enthusiasm, "Chie, Chie!"

          "What, what is it?" Chie asked, looking bewildered.

          Yukiko continued, speaking rapidly, "I have to tell you, you won't believe it! I have to tell all of you! We can-!"

          "Why don't we tell them over food, first," Nyras interrupted her, lips twitched in amusement.

          Yukiko faltered, looking between the ranger and her best friend with an almost pout before lowering her head, "Oh . . ."

          "Soon," Ylvaria promised, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder, "But remember, we don't know if it applies to everyone."

          "I guess I did get a little carried away," Yukiko admitted softly, looking a bit embarrassed, "Sorry."

          Chie frowned at her friend, still bewildered and now very lost, "Um, what-?"

          "At lunch," Ylvaria promised again.

           Yu looked on, now very confused and wondering furiously over what sort of 'test' Yukiko had been given and why it had elicited such an excited response. Well, he guessed he'd find out at lunch. He guessed everyone who wasn't Nyras, Ylvaria, and Yukiko would find out, because he noticed the rest of the Champions were looking just as curious too, Tirin leaning over to whisper in Rhysana's ear and frowning when all she gave him in reply was a clueless shrug.

          Except Korval and Cahira, who looked suspiciously knowing. Or at least suspicious. That didn't surprise him.

          "What do you think they're hiding, dude?"

          Yu glanced at Yosuke, who had crept up to his side and had tilted his head in his direction to speak more privately, looking at the group with puzzlement in his brown eyes. Yu shrugged, "We'll find out at lunch, apparently. Whatever it is, it must be good, otherwise Yukiko wouldn't be so excited."

          Yosuke nodded, "True. I just wonder what- . . . hey, what's that?"

          Yu quirked an eyebrow before following Yosuke's puzzled gaze to the edge of the training field, right where the trees began to grow in droves. The branches were rustling in the breeze, the soft swish of their leaves the only noise to be heard aside from the clang of swords some distance behind them. The occasional bead of water would percolate from their sodden tips and splash into the fading puddles below, the water lapping quietly around their roots.

          But then he became aware of something shuffling among the foliage, soft splashes rising up over the pattering of the rain drops and the rustling leaves. Immediately, his muscles tensed in readiness, having been through enough crap in this world to know better than to relax. He peered closer, trying to catch a clearer view of whatever it was that was wandering the edge of the field, but he only succeeded in making his eyes hurt.

          At least, until it tumbled away from the greenery and out into the open.

          It was about the size of a large dog, with a body vaguely reminiscent of an alligator and a long, thick tail to boot. It's skin, however, was bark-like in consistency, with fresh algae and moss growing along it's back and tail like a furry mane. It's head was long and narrow, ending in a snapping beak of rough bark with chipped edges resembling teeth. Two hollow grooves along the side of its head served as what he guessed were the creature's eyes, even though they lacked actual eyeballs. The entire creature was like a wood carving come to life, though he imagined it's bite was worse than the bark of it's flesh, especially when two others stepped out on either side of it.

          "What is that? What are those?!" Chie demanded as she instinctively dropped into a crouch, everyone having caught sight of them by now.

          "M-m-more mean tree things?" Teddie asked, taking a scared and wary step back.

          "Those . . . oh, those are nothing," Rhysana said, idly brushing a lock of hair over her shoulder. She looked remarkably relaxed about this.

          In fact, all the Champions did, now that he looked. Tirin was even yawning! He felt that that was a bit unnecessary.

          "Those are common vermin in these parts. They like to root through the town's food stores and dig up the villagers crops," Nyras explained, watching the three with a calm stare, "They are easy to drive off, though."

          Said vermin had sighted them by now, and were all growling and spreading their claws in a threat display to scare them off, mossy manes shaking as their bodies vibrated with every gurgling grunt.

          "Still, it would be a problem if they got inside," Ylvaria added in, almost like an afterthought to the conversation as she watched the creatures.

          "So shouldn't you be doing something about it?" Yosuke demanded, looking cross and worried at the same time, eyes flicking from their counterparts to the creatures.

          As soon as the words left his lips, Rhysana's eyes began to sparkle, "Well, we would. _But_ , I think in light of how well you've done, _you_ should have the honor of keeping the quite town of Bailsborough safe!"

          All eyes turned on her, stunned.

          "Huh?" Kanji was staring.

          "Really?" an excited gleam had appeared in Chie's eyes.

          "Yes, really," Cahira cocked her head in the creatures direction, "I say you can handle a few little pests no problem."

          "You really think we can?" Rise asked softly, giving a worried glance in Yu's direction.

          Her concerned gaze reminded him that he'd only just recovered from almost dying mere hours ago. He'd . . . rather not repeat that.

          "Sure!" Korval chipped in, "They'll put up a bit of a fight, but after you give 'em a few good thwacks, they'll know who's boss."

          "Consider this another part of your training," Nyras said.

          "Besides, every adventuring band has to start somewhere," Rhysana added cheerfully, giving her counterpart an encouraging squeeze, "And it usually starts small. And don't worry about your lack of experience. Just remember what I taught you and you'll be fine."

          Rise pursed her lips, but nodded, unwilling to stand on the sidelines and wait. The creatures were shuffling closer, still growling, beaks clacking together with a rattling sound vaguely similar to jostling bones. It wasn't a nice sound.

          "So just go in there and show them what for already!" Tirin shouted, shoving both Teddie and Yosuke forward, "Go on, go grizzly!"

          "Hey, that's my catchphrase!" Teddie protested.

          "And quit pushing!" Yosuke shouted.

          "I say we do it!" Chie yelled, eyes sparkling at the prospect of battle, the same way they used to in the tv world.

          "I'm with ya on that!" Kanji agreed, cracking his knuckles, "I don't know about you guys, but I'm tired a bein' pushed around."

          "We'll knock them out with one strike!" Yukiko declared resolutely, snapping her fan open with a forceful flick of her wrist.

          There was a sharp _click_ as Naoto redrew the string of her crossbow, sliding a bolt in place and saying, "Still, exercise caution. It wouldn't do for any of us to get injured over our own foolishness."

          "I think we know that already," Yosuke put in, flipping his knives into his hands in a ready stance. Already, Yu could tell he was more confident with holding them, giving one a twirl as he turned to Yu with a half-grin, "What do ya say, Partner?"

          Yu smiled in return, the energetic aura of his friends giving life to his own somewhat sore muscles and making his heart burn with the familiar heat that came right before a battle. Drawing his sword, he took a step forward so he stood ahead of the party, the chill of the mud fading as he focused his attention on their new opponents, "Let's do it!"

          At once, everyone fell in line beside him, easily falling into the same routine they'd grown accustomed too. Yu felt a quick surge of emotion, finding both strength and comfort in the motions he'd become familiar with and the quiet support that needed no words.

          Rise chimed in from the back, sword in her hands and body in the stance Rhysana had drilled into her over the past few hours, "Okay, Senpai, if you're sure."

          "Just give the word, leader," Yosuke added, knives up.

          Yu was already planning out their course of action in his head. The creatures, seeing weapons drawn, had stopped stalking forward, now standing shoulder to shoulder as they waited for them to make their moves. The one at the center was slightly bigger than the others, while the other two were lither, and undoubtedly quicker.

          Alright . . . "Chie, Yukiko, you focus on the one on the left. Kanji, Naoto, you take the right. The rest of us will focus on the one in the middle."

          "Right-o, Sensei!" Teddie said, nodding determinedly.

          Two hard-hitters offset with some ranged cover and the rest overwhelming the third . . . solid enough without the use of their personas. It also allowed him to keep an eye on Rise. He knew there were several stupidly powerful people behind them and watching careful, but he wasn't going to leave anything to chance.

          Murmurs of affirmation were made, but if anyone did dislike the plan, they didn't get a chance to say so, for the two creatures flanking the leader suddenly gave hollow, yelping barks and shot forward.

          A bolt went flying, hitting the right one in the snout and splintering the bark as it lodged itself under its eyehole. At the same time, a fan fwipped passed his head and cut across the length of the other one's back, pieces of moss fluttering to the floor.

          Kanji and Chie both stepped up at the same time, barring the oncoming creatures path before they could come any closer. With an embattled cry, Kanji swung his hammer and nailed his opponent in the jaw, hitting it hard and making it stumble sideways as it struggled to stay on its feet. The other one was met with a fast and furious spin kick, it's leg giving out beneath it as the knobby joint of its knee buckled under the blow.

          "Now!" He shouted, charging towards the leader while the others were occupied.

          Yosuke, Teddie, and Rise fell in step beside him, following fearlessly even as the lead vermin hissed and lunged at them.

          Yu jumped to the left, coaxing the creature into turning with him by delivering a sharp nick to its hide. He leaped back as it snapped at him, avoiding its beak as Yosuke and Teddie both came at its other side. They delivered a few quick slashes, clumps of moss and matted weeds fluttering to the ground. Growling, it sharply jerked its hips and lashed its tail out, sweeping the broad appendage over the floor. Both were quick enough to dodge, but Teddie's foot caught in the mud, tripping him onto his back with a cry.

          Yu lunged forward as Yosuke went to cover the bear, driving his sword into the juncture of its shoulder, the wound spurting no blood as he pulled it free. It hissed again, and as it swiveled its head to face him, Rise took a chance and pounced at it herself.

          In a great stroke of luck and timing, the tip of her sword caught it right in one of its eyeless sockets, driving the blade in almost halfway up the blade. But the beast reacted before she could pull it out, shaking its head and wrenching the hilt from her hands, leaving her defenseless. With a sideways thrust of its head, the creature's beak caught Rise in the gut and knocked her to the ground, "Ah!"

          Yu was on it immediately, slashing his blade in a sharp upward slice that cut deep into the creature's neck. At the same time, Yosuke attacked, driving both his daggers up to the hilt in the creature's back.

          The thing wailed once, then spun around and darted away, putting a good chunk of space between itself and them. Once it neared the tree line, it looked back, snuffling and growling but making no move to attack, Rise's sword still sticking out of its eye.

          Another cry went up, and Yu spun around just as two more shapes darted passed him, fleeing to join there leader even as Kanji and Chie gave chase. They stopped when they reached Yu's side, breathing hard but looking victorious as the two beasts fled.

          Panting slightly, he reached out to help Rise to her feet, the girl smiling appreciatively as she took his hand.

          Everyone had gathered around him now, facing off with the three wounded creatures with no pretense of holding back if they came again. Yu held his sword up, emboldened by their victory, but tempering it with caution so he didn't blindly charge forward and do something they all came to regret.

          "Had enough yet?" Kanji demanded, face twisted into an embattled scowl, waving his hammer threateningly, "Huh?!"

          "You'll scram if you know what's good for you!" Chie shouted, punching a hand into her open fist.

          "Now shoo!" Yukiko put in sternly.

          From the back, Rise quietly spoke up, tone a touch embarrassed, "Uh, guys, can I get my sword back first?"

          Oh right . . .

          "What do you mean 'oh right'? Senpai, did really already forget?"

          Oops, had he said that out loud?

          Luckily, he was saved from having to explain himself when the three creatures all gave a simultaneous shudder and collapsed into a pile of inert and lifeless wood.

          Or maybe it was more like 'unlucky'.

          "Huh?" several of his friends murmured in unison, everyone staring in baffled surprise.

          "What . . . is that supposed to happen?" Yosuke asked, fingers tensing around the hilt of his daggers.

          "Don't let your gaurd down," Yu ordered quickly, anticipation knotting in his stomach. Who knows what anything was capable of in this world.

          He was glad he gave the order when a moment later the wood along the things moss laden backs crack open, and a fine green mist rise up from the wounds, merging into a singular cloud that shimmered like emerald dust despite the lack of light. The minute motes flitted and twirled around each other, and Yu's eyes widened as they all concurrently pressed together into a singular and solid shape.

          An unerringly beautiful woman was what floated before them, her skin the color of a dusk-lit amber and her eyes as rich as mahogany wood. Her long sable hair was wild and twined with shoots of grass and tiny wildflowers, blooming vibrantly against the black, and her clothes were little more than curling vines and leaves that left very little to the imagination. Yu swallowed, not knowing where to put his eyes even as they were continuously drawn back to her attractive face.

          She laughed once, a joyous sound that brought to mind untamed forests and sunlit groves, before her body faded to mist once more and vanished back into the trees. As it departed, the three wooden figures the woman had been inhabiting began to glow with a green aura, their forms disappearing in a light that blossomed out into three lovely patches of lush flowers. Rise's sword lay at the heart of the central patch, with not a scratch to mar its surface.

          For a few moments, all anyone did was stare after where the woman (if that was what she was) disappeared.

          Teddie was the first to break it, "W- _Wowza_! Now that was one bear- _utiful_ babe!"

          Yosuke coughed slightly, and Yu didn't have to look to know his friend was blushing furiously, "Y-yeah . . . s-she was something . . ."

          "Y-Yosuke, you pervert, why can't you keep your eyes down when things like this happen?!" Chie demanded, a definite quaver in her voice that said 'flustered' and Yu had to wonder if she was trying to cover it up by yelling at the other boy.

          Said boy was shouting back now, "W-well, shit like this _doesn't_ usually happen, and _you're_ blushing just hard as I am, so you have no room to talk!" there was a quiet pause, then, "Wait, why are you blushing . . . ?"

          " _Shut up!_ "

          There was a sharp thwack, followed by Yosuke's pained and choking cry that ended in a thud. Drawing a breath and deeming the 'pest' situation contained, Yu finally turned around, trying to ignore the burn on his cheeks as he assessed the situation.

          Yosuke was on the ground (no surprise there), a fuming and flustered Chie standing over him, her arms crossed and eyes pointedly turned away.

          Yukiko was next to her, face a cross between flummoxed and embarrassed as she mused, "How did they even stay on?"

          He . . . wasn't going to ask her what she was talking about.

          Teddie, meanwhile, had begun walking towards the tree-line, only to falter as Rise grabbed the cuff of his armor and snapped, "Oh no you don't!"

          "But-!"

          Teddie's whining was cut off by the Rise's shout, "No! You're not going after some creepy forest spirit with a storm on the way! Stay put!"

          Teddie whimpered, looking forlornly after where the woman had gone, voice verging on dramatic tears, "Farewell, my beautiful forest nymph. Our love was not meant to be . . ."

          "Kanji-kun, are you alright?" Naoto's voice made him turn his head, the concern in her voice making him anxious in turn.

          It went away when he saw that Kanji had hunkered down and turned his back, face deliberately pointed in any direction where there wasn't people. He waved a hand at Naoto in an effort to get her to go away, voice muted, "M'fine, just go."

          "Are you sure. You're face was rather-"

          " _I said m'fine, damn it!_ "

          "O-oh. I see . . ." Naoto respected his wishes and backed up, looking puzzled by the outburst as well as . . . well, a little hurt. Yu really needed to help Kanji with his tact.

          He sighed. Yu loved his friends dearly, but he had to marvel at how quickly their cohesion could fall apart in the face of truly bizarre and unexpected crap. He took comfort in the fact that if the situation had truly been serious (which it wasn't, thankfully), this sort of thing would never happen.

          "Well, I'd say that was a splendid performance, wouldn't you agree Nyras?"

          Yu's gaze shifted to the champions, who had come to stand before them and were now watching the unfolding drama with marked amusement. Ylvaria was even sniggering. Rhysana, on the other hand, was beaming, looking quite pleased as Nyras answered her question with a quick nod, "Indeed. Your level of teamwork and cooperation is quite exceptional, more than I would expect for those who have never taken up the calling of adventurer. Although it did fall apart at the end there . . ."

          "S-she kicked him! She kicked him, and he went down! I-it's so _funny_!" Ylvaria's ramblings devolved into a fit of laughter.

          Ah . . .

          "And you know how to divide the work already!" Cahira added, arms akimbo and grinning, "That'll save us a lot of time!"

          "As well as the fact that you already have a designated leader," Nyras finished, crossing her arms, face level despite the amused upturn of her lips.

          "But come on, does _that_ part really surprise us?" Tirin turned the question to his companions, holding his arms up with elbows bent and palms facing the sky.

          "Nope, not at all.~" Rhysana said, folding one arm under her chest while pressing her other hand against her cheek, looking wistfully at Yu.

          He fidgeted a little under her gaze, keeping it to only a slight curling of his fingers, and he wondered if their words were some sort of weird, back-handed compliment. Also, if he was reading the subtext correctly . . . it seemed his counterpart was also the leader here. Maybe it wasn't unsurprising, but . . . well, Yu wondered if their styles were similar. After all, what they'd been fighting against certainly hadn't.

          Not to say he . . . didn't like the idea of talking about it with him. Whoever 'he' was here.

          While that was going in, Korval had stomped over to Kanji and pulled the boy to his feet, giving him a few good swats on to the back that made Yu wince just listening to it, "Good job on that last swing! Woulda tripped you up if you hadn't side-swiped it like that."

          "Uh . . . thanks . . ." Kanji muttered back, still not looking up.

          From the ground came a muffled groan, and Yu glanced down at Yosuke, feeling a surge of pity. Although, in a flash of thought that Yosuke would have called betrayal, he noted that it had been a while since Chie had last given the boot.

          Reaching down, he helped the other boy back to his feet, "You okay?"

          Yosuke cringed, face pained, "I-I'll be . . . okay. Just give it about ten more minutes for the pain to go away."

          "So, uh, are any of you going to tell us what that thing was?" Chie asked, looking desperate for answers.

          "Oh, that was a nymph," Rhysana replied with a wave of her hand, as casual as the breeze.

          "A . . . nymph," Rise echoed, eyes gradually widening.

          "Mhm," Rhysana's eyes sparkled, a story brewing in her eyes, "This forest is a haven for fae of all sorts! Especially since its been blessed by the goddess Elohira!"

          "Huh? Fae?" Kanji stood up now, and ooh yes, that was definitely a bloody nose.

          "Eugh, Kanji!" Rise admonished, scowling.

          "What?!"

          "Fairies, nymphs, dryads, all those things are called fae here," Rhysana explained, ignoring their verbal spat. At least, until she tugged out a small, silky handkerchief from her belt and held it out to the boy, "And clean yourself up, sweetheart. Its not polite to bleed in front of ladies."

          Kanji scowled at her, obviously hearing the jibe in her tone, but accepted it anyway with a sulky frown.

          "So . . . there's fairies in the forest?" Chie asked, looking intrigued but also a tad disbelieving as her eyes swiveled to the trees.

          "And lots of beautiful babes to score with?" Teddie added, leaning in with childlike curiosity. At Tirin's mocking laugh, however, it faded to an unhappy pout.

          "Yes, there are. The one you just saw was a forest nymph. A wanderer, basically," Rhysana explained.

          "Heh, guess that would explain the- _guhrk!_ " Yosuke cried out as Chie's heel came down on his foot, nearly collapsing again because of the pain. Limping now, he gave her a glare, voice coming out in a constricted wheeze of pain, "W-what the hell, Chie? I was gonna say _flowers_! _Flowers!_ "

          "Oh . . ." Chie retracted her foot, but she crossed her arms and said, unrepentant, "W-well, try not to make it sound so creepy next time!"

          "Tch . . ." Yosuke hissed, blush intensifying as Ylvaria's giggles grew stronger and more frequent. Yu patted an encouraging hand against his shoulder, knowing it wasn't going to do much to amend the boy's wounded pride. But he could try.

          "So she was a forest nymph?" Yukiko asked, completely unconcerned with the pandemonium going on beside her, "But why would she attack a village? Hm, did the townsfolk take something they shouldn't have, or cut down too many of the trees, inciting the forest's wrath?"

          "O-okay, can we maybe _not_ do that?" Chie asked, looking uncomfortable.

          "I'm going to say 'nothing like that', otherwise you all would have jumped in," Yu put in, eyes on the champions.

          "While we're on that subject . . ." Naoto added, eyes glinting with a knowing spark, "You all already knew that was nymph even before she showed herself, didn't you?"

          Nyras smiled, "Already figured it out?"

          "Yu-senpai is correct. Had this been an unexpected encounter, you would have stepped in," Naoto pointed out, "Not to mention your rather vague explanation for the creatures presence, when normally you're more informative Nyras-sama. Their timing was . . . rather convenient too."

          "Haha, she really is a littler you!" Rhysana commented, hiding her laugh behind her hand.

          "To put it very simply, I'm sure," Nyras responded, angling her face slightly in the bard's direction. Then she faced the group again, explaining, "Yes, we did know it was a nymph. You could say I wasn't lying when I said this was another test."

          "Of course . . ." Yosuke mumbled.

          "We saw how good you were with your weapons, and we also wanted to see how well you worked as a team," Cahira explained, stretching an arm back behind head.

          "Well, did we pass?" Yukiko asked.

          "Um, slow down there a sec-"

          Yu was the one to cut Chie off that time, only marginally feeling guilty for it, "No, I'd very much like to know as well. Did we pass?"

          Hey, what could he say? He was a perfectionist.

          "Flying colors!" Tirin cheered, and everyone's faces lifted.

          Then he continued, "Until you hit the end there! Then there was no colors! But it was funny to watch Chie kick Yosuke."

          Ylvaria laughed again.

          Yosuke took offense, "Hey!"

          "Well, to be fair, there were no monsters around at that point," Rhysana added gently, but her eyes were pointedly fixed on Tirin.

          "Exactly. We got an A-, at least," Yu said, determined to get a high score.

          The puzzled looks he got reminded him that basic grading scales probably didn't exist here, either. At least, not any kind he knew of.

          "So, uh . . ." Kanji fumbled into the conversation after the awkward silence, "How'd you guys get a fairy to do this test with ya?"

          "That's a good question," Rise mused.

          "Actually . . ." Ylvaria spoke up, finally getting a hold of herself as she wiped at the corners of her eyes, "We weren't the ones who set that up."

          "We take that as a compliment, though," Rhysana added.

          "Huh? Well, if you didn't set it up, who-?"

          Yosuke broke off with a startled cry of alarm as something suddenly zipped over him, landing on his head with enough force to make him stumble. Wings flapped furiously, wind rustling Yu's hair as he spun around to face it, hand instinctively going for his sword.

          And blinked in perplexed astonishment when he saw the tiny _dragon_ sitting on Yosuke's head. It was roughly the size of a hawk, with a long, sinuous body about a yard long, thin, whippy tail included. It was a quadruped, with four legs ending with three forward facing toes on each foot, each tipped with ivory claws. It's tiny scales were the color of newly opened leaves, vibrant and scintillating, the edge of each one tinged a cerulean blue. The only place lacking scales was its pale stomach, a smooth expanse of flesh like the underside of a snake. Wings flared out over it's head as it reoriented itself, the bat-like protrusions bearing strange black patterns along the translucent green membrane that bore a strange resemblance to the patterns on butterfly wings. It's red horns curled incredibly close to it's head, almost resembling twin proboscis' in shape, it's narrow, serpentine head swooping to the left and the right as it observed everyone through bright viridian eyes.

          It gave a series of high-pitched warbling chirps and took off again before anyone could speak, circling over them once,  then taking off back to the tree-line . . .

          Where it proceeded to land on someone's shoulder.

          A someone who looked a lot like . . .

          "Holy shit," Yosuke mumbled, so quickly and quietly Yu almost didn't catch it, "Holy fucking shit."

          'Holy fucking shit' was right. Yosuke's counterpart was finally here.

          The man looked human as far as Yu could tell, no supernatural elements to be seen. Brown eyes as warm as he'd expect them to be, with dark chestnut hair falling almost exactly the same as Yosuke's, save for the fact that it was very much _not_ dyed and had a thin ponytail of much longer hair tied of at the base of his neck, in view only because it had caught on the dragon's horn as it wound across his shoulders. But there were much more obvious differences as well. For one, Yu could see tattoos winding across the man's face, thick lines of black that curved artfully along his skin in a graceful array. Two curved under his eyes along each cheek, the one on top longer the one on the bottom, with a perpendicular line curling through the pair and ending in hooks that curved just beneath the corners of his mouth. Two perfectly mirrored lines were on his chin, their tips merging together just beneath his bottom lip on one side while the opposite ends curled down around his chin, disappearing beneath his jaw. And finally, four arching lines swooped from the edges of his hairline across his forehead, the lowest lines curving above his eyebrows while the ones above it had about a half an inch of space between them, leaving a predominately blank patch of skin along the center of his forehead. All four merged into a singular line at the bridge of his nose, the ink running the length of it before tapering to a point at the very end. It was . . . the uniformity and grace of the ink was very attractive, if he was being honest.

          Very attractive.

          And that wasn't getting into his outfit. He wasn't wearing armor, not like Korval or Tirin, replacing it instead with a robe of orange cloth hemmed with gold thread. The top portion fit snugly against his torso, the billowing sleeves ending just below his elbow, the edges sewn with runes that must have been magic in origin. Two flaps of cloth fell around his legs to just above his knees, the edges trimmed with gold and etched with more runes, two slits running up the sides of each all the way to his hips and leaving room to move freely. Dark brown breeches fit tight to his legs, with boots of dark leather were tied to his feet, a sundial symbol etched into the heel of each. Seamless black gloves were on his hands, long enough to vanish in the folds of his sleeves, small gold runes wrapped around the tips of each finger. On his forehead, right at the center of the blank space between his tattoos, a small red gemstone was affixed, seemingly fused the skin. There was a small dagger attached to his hip, the hilt glinting silver, and a smooth wooden staff across his back, the end of which was curled around a large clear gemstone that seemed to flicker with magic.

          The counterpart, who's lips had turned up into a half-smile he had seen hundreds of times before, a smile tinged with amusement and satisfaction, then spoke in a voice all too familiar, "Well, can't say I'm used to rendering people speechless when they see me. Not a bad feeling, I gotta say!"

          Behind him, he heard Cahira scoff, "Don't worry, that'll change once they get to know you."

          The man fixed her with an unamused scowl, "Do you _always_ have to rain on my parade?"

          "I wouldn't have to if you weren't such an asshole about it," Was Cahira's curt response, but it was woven with a thread of humor that hinted towards happiness.

          "Tch . . . and right after I help you out. too. You have a funny way of showing appreciation," the man commented, crossing his arms.

          "We _do_ appreciate you, we just know better than to give you too much credit, because then it goes to your head," Rhysana said, a smile in her voice that must have been present on her face too.

          "Story of my life . . ." 

          His lamentations were cut off by a shadow jumping on to his back, Tirin exclaiming jubilantly as he locked his arms around the man's neck, "Surprise!"

          The man scowled, dragon hissing in annoyance as it hopped to the tip of his staff instead, "Argh- _Tirin_ -!"

          "Where's Yalathas?"

          At the gloaming's question, the annoyance in the man's face left, to be replaced by something a bit more serious, "He's . . . not here, right now."

          Sensing something was up, Tirin let go, taking a step back to give the newcomer room as he addressed the now eager ears of the champions, "An . . . incident happened near Arvorod. The queen asked him to stay."

          "What sort of incident?" Nyras inquired, lips drawn into a tight frown.

          "We can talk about that later, someplace where people can't listen in," the man's gaze flickered back to Yu and his friends, a faint smile returning to his face, "Among other things."

          He began to move towards them, but . . . his legs weren't moving. Yu narrowed his eyes, only to see with a start that the man wasn't walking at all! He was _floating_!

          The man, rather blasé about their stares, made a strange motion with his hand, lips moving as he whispered something under his breath. A glint of silver flashed behind him, and Yu's eyes widened as he saw Rise's sword rise up from the flower patch seemingly of it's own accord, trialing after the man as he closed the distance between them. As he neared, a fresh breeze touched Yu's skin, this one fresher, cleaner, and Yu found himself inhaling a little more strongly than before. The dragon had slithered back to his shoulder, head raised like a sentry as it observed them all in turn.

          When he stood before them, the rapier turned so its hilt was presented to Rise, who just stood their gaping at it and him in equal turn.

          "I think that belongs to you, m'lady," he said with a wink and smile.

          Rise glanced back at him again, then back to the sword, keeping still for a few seconds before cautiously reaching out and taking the hilt. As soon as it was in her hand, whatever force that was holding it up vanished, Rise's arm bobbing down a bit as the full weight came back.

          "H-how . . . how the _fuck_ are you . . . ?" Yosuke trialed off as the man turned to him, eyes widening a fraction more as his mouth fumbled uselessly.

          "Magic can do a lot of things," the man replied with a half-smile, feet still not having graced the floor. His eyes then turned to focus on Yu, and Yu found himself staring perhaps a bit more deeply than he should into eyes he came to see were not just brown, but carried flecks of blue as well, as bright and colorful as a cloudless sky, "My name is Yvir. What's yours, stranger?"

(*)

          A lone figure walked aimlessly down the worn dirt path, the road surrounded by scraggly trees that continuously shed their leaves in droves. Their withered husks continuously crunched under the loner's feet, the only sound save for the wind and her own even breath.

          Her body was wrapped in a long, billowing cloak that tied to her throat with gold thread, hiding the attire she wore beneath aside from the black leather shoes on her feet that seemed to have no ties or buckles, leaving no footprints behind her as she walked. The cloak itself rippled in the wind, dark colors of purple, blue, and crimson occasionally bleeding through the black material before fading away again. It had no hood, allowing others to see her face plainly, her red eyes peering out from a face as fair as white birch, her skin seeming as fragile as glass. Her nose was pierced, as was the shell of her right ear, the tiny bloodstones set into the jewelry bland by most people's standards. The hair on the left side of her head had been partly shaved away, with the rest swooped to the right side of her face, the white strands falling to her shoulder. A small triangular symbol was inked upon her forehead, a larger circle encasing it and a line slashed vertically through the whole thing, the only mark to tarnish her otherwise spotless skin. Most would see the paleness of her skin and the red of her eyes would have some mark her a demon, an omen of ill-luck. Most would stay away from her. That was how she wanted it.

          The breeze picked up briefly, showering the road with newly fallen leaves, their whispering corpses the only sound to be heard.

          Until, a new sound reached her ears.

          The sound of tears, of sorrow, being shed.

          Breaking from the path, the woman set after the noise, following it until she came across a tiny copse with a small stone edifice at it's heart. The rock had long since been overrun by vines, the monument forgotten long ago. Seated upon it, she beheld a young woman who could be no older than twenty, her skirt torn and dirtied, tears leaving tracks down her face as she sobbed into her apron. A runaway, perhaps. She spun around at the sound of an intrusion, puffy eyes filling with fright.

          The woman held up her hand, voice soothing, "Peace. I am a friend."

          "W-who are you?" the girl asked, still not at ease.

          "I'd say my name is the least of your concerns, little one," the woman replied, keeping her distance, "Tell me, why is it that you cry so?"

          The girl pursed her lips, "Why do you care? You're a stranger to me, with no claim in my affairs aside from curiosity!"

          "Or perhaps compassion," the woman restated, folding her hands patiently over her stomach, "Please, you do not have to be afraid of me."

          The girl sniffed, looking her up and down for a long time before finally turning away, "Oh, what does it matter? It's not like everyone at home won't already know."

          "Know what?" the woman pressed gently, taking a step forward.

          She scoffed, the sound tainted with bitter tears, "That the man who promised me the world is taking another for his wife. After he slept with me, of course."

          "Hm. A soured love," the woman said, nodding sadly. She stepped forward again, now standing behind the girl, "He broke your heart."

          "Yes, he did, but its not like he's going to be punished for it! I just wish . . . I wish it didn't _hurt_ like this," the girl buried her face into her apron again, sobs renewed, "It hurts so _much!_ "

          The woman placed a gentle hand on the girl's head, sifting her fingers through the strands, voice empathetic, "It does hurt, doesn't it? The one thing that all races in this world feel no matter who or what they are; we all know what suffering is."

          She looked up, gazing into something only she could see as her hand stroked the girl's head, "It's a shame, isn't it? That our lives have to be dictated by pain. That our suffering is unavoidable. A world without such pain would be a truly wonderful place, wouldn't it?"

          The girl sniffled, breath hitching, "If it didn't feel like this . . . then yes, it would. But it doesn't exist . . ."

          "Perhaps it doesn't . . . but the pain does not have to last," the woman said, voice verging on wistful. She glanced down, "Would you like it if the pain went away, little one?"

          She turned her head up to the woman, for the first time looking hopeful, "You could do that? Make it go away?"

          "I could," the woman nodded.

          "Is it . . . some kind of magic?"

          "Of a sort," with a gentle push, she made the girl turn back around, "Close your eyes."

          The girl nodded in compliance.

          The woman continued to run a hand through the girl's hair as she tenderly placed her other hand on younger's cheek, "Now I want you to imagine a happy place. A place where this pain does not exist. A sanctuary that is yours, where you will always be safe," the hand on the girl's cheek traveled down slowly, coming to cup her chin a gentle embrace, "Imagine the glow, the warmth, the security. Imagine the fullness that you feel as you know nothing can ever hurt you again. That place . . . will be your home."

          Once the words had left her lips, and with a move quicker than the eye could see, she snapped the girl's neck.

          The woman caught the body before it could hit the ground, laying her gently out along the stone. She placed the girl's hands on her chest, smoothing away the tears and moving her askew head back into place, so it looked as she were merely sleeping even as the color left her cheeks.

          "May you rest in eternity, where you will never know suffering again," the woman said as if in prayer, rising to her feet.

          She remained there for a while, monitoring a silent vigil as another flurry of leaves fell like a mourning veil over the scene, clustering on the girl's body and tangling in her hair.

          In that quiet rush, a twig snapped behind her.

          The woman reacted faster than light, spinning around and hand thrusting out in a sharp jab, fingers extended and thumb crooked against her palm. She stopped just as suddenly, fingertips only a hairs breadth from the chest of the person who'd come up behind her. It all took place in only a second, so fast that force of air generated by the woman's movements blew the leaves around her back, their erratic fluttering the only sound.

          "What do want in this place of solemnity, demon?" the woman asked.

          The cloaked figure laughed, a feminine sound that chilled to the bone, indifferent to the hand pressed to her chest, "Only to ask for an audience. I hardly expected to find you at a funerary service, let alone for someone you murdered."

          "I released her from this miserable world. But what would a demon care for that. You're kind desire suffering," the woman accused, red eyes burning.

          "I won't deny that claim for most of my kin," the woman said, "But I'm not here to talk opinions. I'm here only to talk."

          "Of what?"

          The cloaked woman smiled, "Just now, I couldn't help but overhear how you thought a world without suffering would be ideal. What if I told you such a world was possible?"

          The other woman blinked, but did not retract her fist, "And how could such be attained? How, even, would my goal align with yours, demon?"

          "Oh, its as easy as chaos, my dear," the demon replied, "There's a way for both of us to get what we want, otherwise I wouldn't be wasting my time with you. But, you can be the judge of that for yourself! All we have to do . . . is talk."

          The woman narrowed her eyes, wary and untrusting. But she removed her hand, "Then talk. And hope I like what you have to say."

          "Oh, you will, my dear," the demon promised between a wire-thin smirk, "You will."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah. Bet you forgot about that fucker.
> 
> But Yvir's here! Next chapter, we get to learn a bit more about him!


	21. The Wind is Our Friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uuuugh. Anxiety. Why must you do me like this?
> 
> Anyway, after two long weeks of getting my shit together, here's chapter 21! Finally!
> 
> Its not as long as the others, but I hope you all enjoy it anyway!

          "Uh . . . " Yu was more flustered than he felt he should be. Really, what was wrong with him? "Yu Narukami. My name."

          He took a little longer to bow in greeting than usual, fumbling through motions that typically were second-nature.

          . . . Maybe he was sick. He _had_ been rolling around in the mud a lot . . .

          Yvir inclined his head, ignoring the dragon as it planted it's forepaws on his head, claws clutching his hair, "Yu Narukami, huh? Nice to meet you."

          Yu nodded in reply, feeling a bubble of curiosity swell at the look of soft affection on the man's tattooed face. Sure, Yosuke had given him warms looks before, but there . . . was something different about this one he _knew_ he'd seen before but couldn't quite place his finger on where.

          The dragon clacked its teeth together, head swiveling to the left, before suddenly jumping from it's perch and landing on Yosuke's head again. The brunette's hands went up, stilling before actually swatting, "Agh!"

          Yvir chuckled, gesturing as the little creature coiled it's tail around the boy's neck, "Right, and that's Aife. Funny, he's usually not so friendly with strangers. But then, 'strangers' might be the wrong word here."

          Yosuke grimaced as the dragon, Aife, pushed his pointy nose into his hair, snuffling through the strands as a soft, but contented hum rose up from the back of his scaly throat. A purr?

          "U-uh, y-yeah, that's cool, c-could you maybe get him off?" Yosuke pleaded, hands hovering off to the sides of the beast and not quite willing to risk his fingers yet. Aife continued to purr, resting his jaw on top of the boy's head.

          Yvir chuckled again, but after gave a short, sharp whistle after that. Aife lifted his head, eyes shining with an intelligence far above that of an ordinary animal, before rising up and hopping back to Yvir's shoulder with a flap of his wings. Yosuke sighed in relief, only to key up again at his counterpart's waiting stare. He glanced down, away from the man's face, then back up when he saw the hovering feet, looking lost and flustered. Finally, after running a hand through his hair in a coping gesture, he finally spoke, "U-uh, Yosuke Hanamura," he nodded his head almost reflexively in Yu's direction, "This guy's partner. Nice to meet you?"

          At that, one of Yvir's eyebrows curved up in question, "Partner?"

          Yu heard someone chuckle, and a glance informed him that it was Ylvaria. Why? Was the use of the word really that surprising, or were they thinking of . . . something else?

          It only took him a few moments to figure out what that 'something else' might be.

          _Oh . . ._ he thought, feeling a faint blush rise to his cheeks.

          Yosuke flushed as well, a mortified embarrassment crossing his face as he stammered, "W-w-wait, n-not that kind of 'partner'! Guys, help me out here! D-damn it, stop laughing!"

          By now, several of the champions were hiding laughs behind their hands, _something_ about this whole issue tickling their funny bone.

          "Aw, I did forget to mention that, didn't I . . . ?" He heard Nyras mumble, looking a touch sheepish at her forgetfulness over . . . something.

          Yvir glanced at them inquiringly, and it was only until Rhysana stepped in and whispered something to him that it dissolved into understanding.

          "Oh, _that's_ why you're laughing," he said, nodding.

          "W-what? Laughing about _what_?" Yosuke asked, bewildered and still very, very embarrassed.

          Yvir looked back to him, and this time, _he_ was the one smiling, "Don't worry about it, kid. Anyway, nice to meet you too."

          Yosuke stared at him, face rife with confusion, but Yvir was already turning away to the rest of his friends.

          As the rest of his friends began to introduce themselves in fairly quick order, Yu heard Yosuke sigh, "Ah man, that was embarrassing . . ."

          Yu smiled at him, patting his shoulder, "Don't let it get you down. It may just be your counterpart and mine call eachother something else."

          Even as he said it, the thought left an uncomfortable pit in his stomach. The idea that the word 'partner' wasn't something they shared here was really odd to think about. It felt . . .wrong, even. Out of all the differences they could encounter, he thought they being partners would remain . . . constant.

          Judging by Yosuke's face, he'd reached the same conclusion, "Maybe. But I don't know, that seems . . . weird. If they even call eachother anything . . ."

          "We'll just have to wait and see," Yu put in, shrugging. It was all they could do for now.

          "Aw, you're worried your counterparts aren't as close as you are!~" both boys jumped as Rhysana appeared behind them, her smile a coy one, "Don't worry about it so much. Honestly, the two are usually glued at the hip, so its a bit strange to see Yvir on his own."

          "Really, when you think about it, 'partners' is the perfect word for them!" Both jumped again as Tirin slipped beside them from nowhere (again), grinning mischievously, eyes sparkling with a knowledge Yu sincerely wondered if they should be worried about.

          "And what are you two doing?" Yvir had apparently heard them, glancing back their way.

          "Soothing frazzled nerves, obviously," Rhysana replied, holding up her hands. Beside her, Tirin's grin widened.

          Yvir hummed disbelievingly, not convinced, when Cahira tapped his shoulder with the head of her staff, eyes glancing pointedly at his feet, "Hey, by the way, why don't you come down from there. I think you've shown off enough."

          Yvir gave her an annoyed stare, huffing, "Its not showing off when its just a thing you do, Cahira."

          "What, is the princess afraid to get her boots dirty?" Cahira's lips turned up into a ribbing half-smile, bracing her staff against her shoulder.

          "Yeah, yer actin' like a priss," Korval added, his lips curled in amusement.

          Yu could practically feel the irritation prickle like a cactus from Yosuke, even though the jibes weren't directed at him.

          Yvir's expression deepened to a scowl, "Really?"

          Rhysana stepped between Yu and Yosuke then, calling out, "Come on, we're all friends here. Mostly. But it does help when said friends are all on equal _ground_."

          She was looking pointedly at Yvir, and the man crossed his arms in a paltry show of defiance before sighing and lowering himself to the ground.

          Rhysana grinned and pat a satisfied hand against his shoulder, "See? Not so hard."

          Tirin popped up behind the man, placing an elbow on Yvir's shoulder and smiling, "Now you get to socialize with us normals!"

          "Alright, alright, I get it," Yvir relented, lightly shrugging Tirin's arm off as Aife lightheartedly nipped at the gloaming's elbow. But his annoyance, Yu noticed, was now more playful than real, and his voice was lighter as he spoke even as he gestured to all of them with a finger, "But I'll keep this in mind the next time you all ask me for a favor."

          "I'm sure we'll manage without you," Ylvaria put in with a teasing smile even as Yvir scoffed.

          Meanwhile, Yu's friends had slowly gravitated towards him, watching their counterparts banter back and forth as a peculiar cloud of dissonance settled around them. They were watching _themselves_ , essentially, while at the same time looking in on a very different group that had nothing to do with them. He'd felt it before, in the few times he'd sat back and just _watched_ the champions interact, but it didn't get any less strange a feeling.

          "So . . . he's a wizard," Chie whispered, hardly even glancing at her assembled friends.

          "Is he?" Yukiko asked, brow furrowing, "Did we ask?"

          "He can lift things without touching them, and he can fly," Rise added softly, "I don't think it really matters."

          "Hm . . ." Naoto hummed, "I wonder if he was the 'expert' Tirin spoke of."

          Chie made a worried noise in the back of her throat, "If he is, then I hope for our sake that Yvir's a bit smarter than Yosuke."

          "Wow, thanks Chie," Yosuke groused.

          "Well, so far our counterparts have proven to be very good at their jobs," Yu put in helpfully, "I'm sure Yvir is no exception."

          "Thanks, Yu," Yosuke said, this time with more sincerity.

          "He _was_ friends with that lovely nymph! So he's already a few steps ahead of our Yosuke!" Teddie added . . . 'helpfully'.

          Yosuke didn't bother gracing that with a comment, even as he threw a scowl in the bear's direction.

          "His dragon's cute," Kanji mumbled to himself, enamored and completely ignoring the conversation at hand, "I wonder where he got him . . ."

          "Hey!"

          Everyone looked over to see Rhysana waving at them, her smile just as bright and lively as always, "Come on, we're going back to the inn! It's time for some food!"

          Yu's stomach gave a growl, reminding him how hungry he was, and he glanced at his companions before following the sprightly bard. The champions were a bit ahead of them, chatting amicably (barring the occasional taunt), completely at ease.

          Yu found his gaze travelling to Yvir once more, curiosity burning in his stomach. He wanted to know more about him, Yu realized. He'd wanted to know about all the champions, yes, but towards Yvir it felt stronger and more . . . he didn't know. Personal? No, not quite . . .

          Whatever his feelings, he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that lunch was going to be an interesting affair.

(*)

          Upon returning, Yu and his friends were given leave to go wash away the grime from that morning's training and refit themselves in more comfortable clothes, which was nice. It was as simple as a small bucket of warm water and a wet cloth, but it did the job well enough, and Yu was grateful he wouldn't have to be eating in his muck-laden armor.

          When time came to actually sit down for food, he found out they had been given an entire room separate from the public space on the upper floor, with a large oak table laid with silverware and a dark green tablecloth bordered with silver. Candles were arranged along the cupboards and shelves, providing an ambient light that lit the room with hues of warm amber, the two windows closed in case of the onset of rain. Strangely enough, even with the windows closed, Yu could swear he felt a soft, tickling breeze every now and again, though where it was coming from he had no idea.

          Yu and his friends all sat on one end, the champions on the other, the familiar trend they'd been setting since they'd met. The servants bustled around them in a whir of activity and noise that only ended _after_ their food had been brought out, wherein they were all left to dine in peace. The champions were still talking to one another, their expressions light and relaxed, as they usually were when they sat down to eat, whereas he and his friends were all rather quiet. It didn't take a whole lot of observation to know it was because most, if not everyone, was looking at their new companion with a curiosity they were a just touch shy to give voice to.

          Yvir didn't seem to notice. Or, if he did, he was begin very nice about it.

          The-sorcerer? Wizard?-was sitting across the table a few chairs down from Yu, in clear view of where he sat. Aife was still on his shoulders, a slice of apple between his claws that he chewed on with relish, even though the fruit seemed an odd choice for a dragon. Currently, the man was talking to Tirin, who was sitting beside him, rolling his eyes at some remark the gloaming made but reluctantly smiling all the same. Gossip, maybe?

          A brief nudge to his side made him turn his head, and looked to see Ylvaria giving him an amused half-smile. With a quick and knowing glance in Yvir's direction, she whispered, "Go on, ask him something. I know you want to."

          Yu poked at his stew, idly stirring the vegetables within as he looked at Yvir again. Well, what could he say? Where did he start? They'd already introduced themselves, so 'hi, hello' seemed a bit redundant at this point, and he wasn't sure what questions would be too invasive to ask.

          It was only when Yvir looked over and their eyes met that Yu realized he'd been staring a bit more intently than he'd realized, and the questioning eyebrow he received made his face burn. Uh, okay, he could save this, he just had to talk, to open up, get a _conversation_ rolling! He could do that, no problem, oh god he's still looking, come one Yu, _speak_ -!

          "I like your tattoos."

          That- . . . was _not_ . . .

          Had he been any less of a composed person who had not mastered the art of poker face long ago, Yu would have crumpled up and died then, he was sure. Especially when several of their counterparts _chuckled_. As it stood, he was doing an admirable job of keeping it to an embarrassed flush.

          Yvir's other eyebrow went up, but there was a twitch to his lips that bordered on amused flattery, "Um, thanks. But these aren't tattoos. They're birthmarks."

          "Birthmarks?" Chie echoed, finally speaking up, "Like, 'you were born with those' kinds of birthmarks?"

          "I don't know, do birthmarks have a different meaning where you're from?" Yvir nodded, looking her way and leaving Yu to breathe in relieved peace.

          Chie glared, "N-no, its just usually, birthmarks are really small and don't look so . . ." she caught herself before she said 'nice', "Like that!"

          "Well, I guess that's true," Yvir acquiesced with a tilt of his head, "For humans, anyway. For sylphs, its a bit of different story."

          " . . . Sylph?" Yu heard Yosuke inquire softly.

          Yukiko gasped, "You're a fairy!"

          The very short silence that followed was broken when Cahira, Tirin, Ylvaria, Rhysana and Korval all laughed, Korval choking on a bit of gristle that he had to beat back up even as he chortled. Nyras was more reserved, but she was still quite noticeably smiling as she slipped a piece of steamed potato in her mouth. Yvir looked . . . well, not as irritated as Yu would have expected, but not quite as amused as the rest either. In fact, Yosuke seemed to be the one who wrestling over whether or not to speak out in his defense, cheeks taking on an apple-red hue.

          Once the laughter died down, Yvir explained, "I think you're thinking of the word 'sylvan', which is something else entirely."

          "Oh . . ." Yukiko looked down, lips pursed in embarrassment.

          "But you aren't human, either," Naoto put in, setting the bread she'd been chewing on down.

          Yu found himself unwittingly leaning forward, eager to hear more about this new piece of information. Yvir certainly _looked_ entirely human at first glance, but maybe there were differences he'd failed to notice, like his ta- . . . birthmarks.

          Yu's friends all looked at Yvir expectantly, but the man merely shrugged, smiling, "Nope. Like I said, I'm a sylph."

          "But what . . . is that?" Rise asked, and Yu noticed she giving him a cursory examination as well.

          "A sylph is someone who is descended from a union between a human and a being from the Plane of Air, usually an elemental," Nyras explained simply. She gestured to Tirin, "Much like a gloaming is descended from the Shadow Plane."

          "Yep! Putting it like that, we're almost like brothers!" Tirin yelled jovially, throwing an arm around Yvir's shoulders even as his chair tipped precariously to the side.

          Yvir shrugged him off, "We can talk about that _after_ you stop hiding my things."

          Tirin giggled, "But annoying each other is what brothers do best, isn't it?"

          "Well, you definitely know how to annoy me, if that's what you're getting at."

          _A sylph . . ._ Yu thought, tuning the conversation out. An elemental being, or close to something like that . . . and one who had a connection to the air. Huh, it was strangely fitting. And might explain why he kept feeling a breeze, now that he thought about it. He spared a glance at Yosuke, whose mouth was hanging slightly ajar as he adjusted to the news, staring at his counterpart with wide eyes.

          "So . . . yer like a wind spirit, or somethin'?" Kanji asked, trying to wrap his head around it.

          "Something like that," Yvir replied.

          "Is that why you could fly?" Teddie asked, leaning in, eyes bright with curiosity.

          "Yes, that's why I could fly."

          Yu opened his mouth to ask what else sylphs could do, then closed it again as he remembered the _last_ time he'd opened his mouth. He was . . . still recovering. Instead, he shoved a spoonful of stew into his mouth and focused on that instead.

          Not that it would have mattered, because right then Aife suddenly took off with a strong flap, streaking to the other side of the table and landing on a shadow in the corner of the room. A shadow that slid out of the way just in time and began to slither across the floor, seeping through the wood like a living puddle of ink. Aife gave chase, claws scraping small slivers into the wood as he pounced around after his prey.

          Yu almost thought they were in danger until he remembered that Xirskam was an actual entity that worked with them, the Shade never very from Tirin unless ordered. Although, it was a bit weird knowing that he was still present even when they were eating.

          "Well, it had to happen sooner or later," Rhysana commented, watching the tiny dragon with an amused smile. Aife was scuffing his forepaws against the ground, wriggling his haunches as he sprung up from the ground to the shelf where Xirskam had taken shelter. The Shade slipped away again, but the little creature was not discouraged, continuing to give chase.

          It was then Yu realized that they were playing.

          "It has been a few months," Nyras added, leaning back in her seat as Aife flew past her, wing tip brushing the rim of her hood.

          Korval ducked, looking mildly annoyed, "Yeah, but maybe they coulda done this when we weren't eating?"

          "You tell them to stop. I'll watch," Rhysana told him, lifting a slender leg up as Xirskam slithered by where her foot has been resting.

          "Huh. Never thought I'd see a dragon play with a shadow . . ." Chie said softly before popping another piece of steak in her mouth.

          "Aife isn't a dragon," everyone tore their eyes away the scampering creature to settle on Yvir. The man looked unruffled, "He looks like one, sure, but he's actually a fae."

          "So . . . Aife is the fairy?" Yukiko puzzled out after a moment of thoughtful silence.

          Yvir breathed a laugh, "Not quite. He's in that realm, though."

          "But why does he look so . . . dragon-y then?" Chie asked, eyebrows knitted in confusion.

          "Its basically an aesthetic thing. Fae like to base their appearances on other creatures. Like that nymph you saw earlier. She was fae, but she looked human, right?" Yvir put the question out to them, and they all nodded along in agreement as understanding sunk in.

          "That's true," Rise said.

          "But speaking of that nymph . . ." for the first time since their introduction, Yosuke finally piped up, "How'd you get her to . . . do that for you? You'd think a fairy'd have better things to do."

          "I just asked," Yvir's response was simple and to the point, punctuated by a shrug.

          "You . . . just asked?" Chie asked, looking a little disbelieving.

          "And she didn't hit you?" that was from Yukiko.

          Yosuke scowled at them, but Yvir only gave a sigh, "Look, believe it or not, she actually wanted to help. The champions were in town, and word travels just as quickly in the fae realm as it does the human one."

          "Really? So, she knew we'd be there?" Kanji asked.

          "Well, she was obviously sentient," Naoto put in, "I'm sure the rest of her species is the same and has their own society, with it's own rules and customs. It shouldn't surprise us that word of it reached them."

          "Exactly," Yvir said, looking pleased.

          "So, that means you've made it big with the ladies, right?" And off Teddie goes, leaning in even more, "Which means my chances of making it big skyrockets to bear-nominal heights!"

          Yvir gave him a level stare, eyebrow curved up in silent mystification, before slowly turning his head to Tirin. The gloaming paused in his eating, fork halfway to his mouth, before gesturing with it in the bear's direction and saying with a flat tone, "Don't look at me, he's not mine."

          Teddie huffed indignantly, but before another argument could come of it, Ylvaria cleared her throat.

          "Nyras, did you want to do it now since Yvir's here?" she asked the ranger cryptically.         

          Nyras nodded, "I think it would be for the best, seeing as everyone has now eaten."

          "Oh, that," Yvir seemed to pick up on their meaning quickly.

          Everyone's attention was on them now, curious looks being exchanged as Ylvaria dug into the pouch on her side. Except Yukiko, who was looking excited, practically bouncing in her seat.

          "Um . . ." Chie hummed, frowning.

          "What-?" Yosuke was cut off as Ylvaria held up several strips of plain looking parchment, which she then offered to Yu.

          "Pass these around, please."

          Yu took them from her, eyebrow raised in wondering anticipation as he took one and passed off the rest. It wasn't long before everyone had one in their hands (except Yukiko), turning them around in puzzlement.

          Yu stared at his own. It was very plain, save for the small rune at the heart, and otherwise didn't look very special. What was this for?

          Yukiko was clapping her hands now, and Chie gave her a slightly worried glance before looking to the champions, "So . . . what's this for?"

          "Another test?" Naoto surmised, holding the slip between her hands.

          Kanji grimaced, "Man . . . I'm no good at exams . . ."

          "Don't worry, its not that hard," Ylvaria reassured them.

          "So what do we do with it?" Rise asked, lightly waving her hand up and down and making the slip flutter.

          "Well, we're going to be testing-"

          Before Nyras could finish, Yukiko exclaimed, "It's for magic!"

          Everyone turned her, silence falling over the table save for the scuffling of claws over varnished shelves. Then, Yukiko bowed her head, "Oops. I'm sorry. I got carried away."

          "Is . . . that true?" Rise asked, voice soft.

          Yu stared at the paper in his hands. This was a magic test? He didn't doubt Yukiko's word, but how was this-?

          "Alright, before everyone loses their mind, let Nyras explain," Rhysana intervened before anyone could start asking questions (even though everyone was sitting in dumbstruck silence), giving them each an even stare before gesturing for Nyras to continue.

          Nyras gave her an appreciative nod, "Thank you Rhys. Anyway, as I was saying, this is a test. More specifically, its a test to see of you have any magical aptitude yourselves. Yukiko has already undergone the trail, so that is why she already knows what this is about."

          "So . . . that's why you were so excited," Chie breathed, looking at the paper in her hands like it had just grown a face, "But seriously, we can do that?"

          "That's what we're going to find out," Yvir was the one to take up the conversation then, rising to his feet and gesturing for them to do the same, "Come on, its easier if you're standing. You concentrate better."

          Yu shared a quick look with Yosuke before rising to his feet, piece still clutched in his hands, stomach trembling with a nervous excitement. It was really starting to sink in now. If this panned out well, then it would mean a wider arsenal for them, a better defense!

          The rest of his friends had stood as well, an excited tension filling the room as they, too, came to understand what this meant. Whispered words were being exchanged, but Yu didn't catch them, focusing instead on Yvir as he came to stand beside Yosuke, and therefore close to him. The breeze had noticeably picked up, and he realized his theory had been right. It _was_ coming from Yvir!

          The brunette turned to him, confused, "Um, yeah . . . ?"

          "Don't worry about me. Just focus on what you're doing," Yvir told him.

          "Y-yeah, but could ya maybe not stand so close. It's kinda weird," Yosuke protested, hip bumping against the rim of his chair as he scooted back a bit.

          "Yvir is going to be looking for the source of our magic, if you have it," Nyras told him.

          "Huh?"

          "Anyone whose capable of magic has certain signatures in their blood and aura, at least if they're like me," Yvir explained, "Think of them like track marks."

          "What do ya mean 'like you'?" Kanji questioned, eyebrow quirked.

          "A sorcerer," was the man's easy reply, "Someone whose born with magic. Or someone who has a very strong affinity for it."

          "What's the difference between that and a wizard?" Yosuke asked.

          "Wizards aren't actually born with magic powers. They have to learn everything from the ground up. Spellbooks, components, things like that. It's . . . pretty boring, actually," Yvir explained.

          "Who cares, let's just do this thing already!" Chie shouted over him, overeager and impatient to begin.

          Well, at least now they knew the difference.

          Ylvaria chuckled at her enthusiasm, "Alright, we'll start. Everyone, focus on your runes. Empty your mind, and concentrate."

          Yu gave a cursory glance as his friends did as they were told, noting Yosuke's rather rigid posture as Yvir 's hands came to hover around his head, moving into position the results of this test. Finally, he did the same himself.

          Focus on the rune . . .

          Hm, what was magic like here? Was it the same as using a persona? Was it different? He couldn't know. But that didn't mean he couldn't try. He had nothing to go off of here, in this world . . . but maybe thinking of it like the tv world instead would help?

           Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

          He reached down inside again, where Izanagi would be had he been within reach. He could still sense his presence. Indeed, it never truly went away. But it was still not enough to bring his full might into play, just a glimmer of light and lightning that warmed but couldn't do much else. Still, he reached for it, tugging at wispy tendrils that faded away like smoke, coaxing _something_ from the depths of his psyche . . .

          He jolted at the sharp shock that suddenly nipped his fingers, eyes snapping open as he dropped the paper in his hands. Small sparks of electricity danced across the page, the edges curling and turning black as smoke rose from the charred ends. At the same time, a sound not unlike static rose up from the base of his skull right as several other startled shouts went up around the table, and he whirled to see what had happened.

          Yosuke's slip was spiraling around between his hands, carried on rotating breeze that quickly died and left it falling still. Chie was holding her slip out, the paper cut neatly in half between her fingertips. Kanji was shaking his fingers out, his own slip dancing with sparks as well. Teddie had dropped his, the slim, frozen sheet cracking in two against the wood. Naoto's lay in little pieces, as if someone had come at it with a pair of scissors. Rise's hadn't changed, but the rune was glowing brightly, and it was only when it faded that the static at the back of his head did as well.

          Silence fell heavy around the room, no one quite sure what to make of what just happened.

          ". . . well," Nyras started, staring, "I can see what you meant by 'unexpected' results, Ylvaria."

          Ylvaria nodded, "Mhm."

          "Ugh, magic . . ." Korval grunted, shaking his head as he rubbed the back of his finger in the crook of his nose.

          "Did we do it?" Chie asked, looking bewildered and a little startled, "Was this good?"

          "Don't worry, Chie, the same thing happened to me," Yukiko reassured her, and in doing so, everyone, "Its good news!"

          "That was neat!" Tirin commented, clapping, "Encore!"

          "Shush," Rhysana chided him before turning to Yvir, "So, what's the report, Yvir? Anything?"

          "I . . ." the sorcerer suddenly pushed past Yosuke and snatched up his abandoned paper, examining it closely before grabbing Yu's as well, holding them side by side.

          "Yvir?" Cahira asked tentatively, eyebrow raised.

          "That was magic. That was definitely magic, but there's no bloodline or signature on them at all!" Yvir was going off now, picking up every slip and breezing passed his friends like they weren't even there, examining each slip in turn, "Elemental magic, force magic, telepathy maybe, all very strong signs too, but with nothing to back it up! How does that happen?" he was pacing now, tuning out the entire world even as everyone watched in stunned fascination, an excited wind picking up around him and making the candles flicker, "Hm, maybe residual energy from the portal, but what was left wouldn't be so strong. Tirin!"

          Yvir rounded on the gloaming, who stood up a little straighter but was smiling in giddy amusement as the man demanded, "How strong was that portal? Was there anything else around it?"

          The blonde shrugged, a laugh in his voice, "I dunno. It was just a portal."

          "'It was just a portal'," Yvir taunted back huffily before looking to Ylvaria, "Do you have anymore markers?"

          Ylvaria was hiding a smile behind her hand as she reached into her pouch, "I do."

           He snatched them up real quick and thrust one out to Yu, "Do that again."

          Yu blinked at him, unmoving, "What?"

          "W-wait, hang on, _what_ is going on right now?!" Yosuke demanded, looking a little disturbed but mostly flummoxed, "I thought we did good? What's the problem?"

          " _You're_ the problem!"

          At their uncomprehending stares, Yvir dropped his arm and sighed, "You all just did magic. And pretty strong signs for it too. _But_ -" he cut Chie off before she could question, "I don't know where its coming from! There are no bloodlines in you, no places for it roost and become so powerful! For all intents and purposes, your perfectly normal people, but you can do this!" he held up Kanji's slip, the corner edge falling away to ash as he did so, "You don't make sense, and I'll be damned if I don't figure out why that is!"

          He was . . . really quite passionate about this . . .

          "Alright, alright, just take a deep breath, Yvir," Rhysana soothed, placing a hand on his shoulder as she turned to wink at them, "Don't worry. Its a sylph habit to get a little zealous about the things that interest them."

          Yvir pursed his lips in an almost pout, unmoving even as Aife fluttered back to his shoulder, "You wanted a diagnostic . . ."

          "Well, we'll figure it out. Maybe there's just something about their world we don't know yet!" Rhysana glanced at Yu, and the very pointed gleam in her eyes made a shiver go down his spine.

          "Yes, there is indeed much we have yet to understand about their world," Nyras added, but the subtle arch of her brow betrayed her quiet, yet knowing, suspicion. 

          "Can you kids think of anything?" Cahira asked, tapping the butt end of her staff against the floor. The rhythmic tapping was the only sound to follow her question.

          Yu glanced at his friends, and could see the unease in their eyes. Indeed, the atmosphere in the room had changed just a bit, a subtle shift from comfortable to eerie in the span of a heartbeat. The truth was, he was pretty damn positive he knew where their powers were coming from. They _all_ did. But how did they broach the subject now?

          Was there any reason not too?

          The answer, he realized, was no.

          But first . . .

          "Can we . . ." he spoke slowly, tongue feeling dry, "Perhaps talk about this later?"

          Silence followed, and for a moment, Yu thought they wouldn't let them go.

          Then, Rhysana sighed, "Ah, well, at least we made some progress today. Besides, I think we have a few things to talk about anyway, huh Yvir?"

          ". . . Huh?" the man looked at her, evidently having been deep in thought about the recent phenomenon.

          "Yes, we do," Nyras nodded. She looked at them, "We'll carry on this conversation later. For now, consider this your free time."

          Everyone nodded, scurrying over to the doors before anymore questions could be asked. Korval called out after them, "Make sure ya clean your armor soon. Ya gotta learn how to take care of it on your own time!"

          Yu nodded in understanding, but before slipping out the door, he caught sight of Yvir one last time.

          The sylph was looking at him, the blue of his eyes looking more prominent even in the dimmer lighting. Interest was gleaming there, as well as a puzzling curiosity, for what he wasn't sure.

          Then the door closed.                                                                                                      

          He stared at the lacquered wood for only a few moments before turning to his friends, all of whom were shifting where they stood, looking at him expectantly.

          He knew they were waiting for him to speak, anticipating what his next words would be, and he knew they needed to talk about this. They'd been dancing around the subject for so long. Too long.

          Instead, he gestured for them to move to a more secure and less open area, where they could converse without any eavesdroppers. Namely, his and Yosuke's shared room.

          It was only when they were all inside, the door locked tight and window drawn closed, that he finally spoke, "We need to tell them. Everything."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yu: That is an attractive man right there.  
> Ylvaria: You should say something to him.  
> Yu: Shawty, what that thang do?
> 
> Is basically what that scene was. You know which one.
> 
> Anyway, persona revelations next time? Stay tuned to find out!
> 
> Love you guys! <3


	22. Doors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been a long time coming, I know. It's been a busy couple weeks, what can I say? :P
> 
> Anyway, here it is! Enjoy!

          His friends were quiet for a few moments, an awkward hush filling the cramped space.

          Then, Yosuke spoke, "Actually . . . I think you're right. We do."

          " _Do_ we, though?" Chie added, rocking on her heels as a way to expend energy, "N-not that I think we can't trust them, but . . . ugh, I don't know."

          "Honestly, I believe our counterparts already know we are keeping something from them," Naoto put in from where she stood leaning against the wall, "At this point, we are only delaying the inevitable. And, to further assuage any unease, remember; this isn't our world. To tell them wouldn't have the ramifications like it otherwise would."         

          "That's true, I guess," Rise acquiesced quietly, crossing her arms in thought. Others were nodding along too, but some still looked uncertain.

          "We've been keeping our persona a secret out of habit more than anything," Yu pointed out softly, looking at each of them, "Truthfully, I think telling the truth would help us now more than it would hinder us."

          "So you suspect that same?" Naoto guessed.

          Yu nodded her way, and at the questioning stares he received, he explained, "I know you all felt it too, when we did that test. We didn't just gain magic from nowhere, guys. It has a source."

          Everyone's eyes lit up in realization, but alongside it rose even more questions that Yu knew he wouldn't be able to answer.

          "But then, that's a whole new can of worms," Yosuke said, frowning, " _How_ are we using our persona in the real world?"

          "Well, maybe it's _cause_ a magic?" was Kanji's input, the boy's brow furrowed tightly, "I mean, s'not like our own world. Maybe . . . uh . . ."

          "We could summon our personas in the tv world because it was actually a manifestation of human unconsciousness, right?" Yukiko added, "So, is this world like that too?"

          "I doubt it," Naoto said, bringing a finger to her chin, "While indeed magical, it is not a world made to reflect the innermost thoughts of a person. It has, to put it simply, a certain stability like the physical world does."

          "Besides, we already figured out we couldn't _actually_ summon our personas," Yosuke reminded them, "But that's what makes this 'magic' we're pulling off even more confusing."

          Yu crossed his arms, reflecting on all they'd been through for a few moments. Yosuke was right, they couldn't summon the physical manifestations of their persona. But somehow, their powers were still within their reach. Not because of any magical blood or lineage, Yvir had made that perfectly clear (and if they had, that would have been an entirely new and unwanted mystery), but simply through will. So what had changed? Obviously the world, but was it as simple as that?

          There was simply too much they still didn't know . . . but that could change.

          "There's too many pieces we don't have right now," he surmised, calling everyone's attention to him, "And that's exactly why I think we should tell our counterparts the truth. They might be able to put our information with their knowledge of how their world works together and come up with an answer."

          "Maybe . . ." Yosuke said, before falling back into the practical, "But still, even if it doesn't, I don't think we can really keep our personas out of this anymore."

          "Yeah," Rise agreed, "And like Naoto-kun said, they already know something. They were really pushing for it at the end there."

          Chie sighed, but was nodding now, "I guess all of that makes sense. It's just weird to . . . come out like this so easily, I guess?"

          "Is a bit strange . . ." Kanji agreed with her, but a moment later his expression shifted into a determined one, "But hell, we got nothin' to lose doin' this. And I think these guys would get it more than anyone back home would, too!"

          "Well, they did say other worlds weren't uncommon knowledge here," Rise added with smile, amused.

          "We'll probably have to explain what tv's are, though," Yukiko mused, eyes staring into the distance as if she were playing the scenarios out in her head.

          Chie snorted a bit, "Yeah, probably!"

          "So we're all agreed, then? We talk?" Yosuke pressed, vocalizing what Yu was already feeling.

          Everyone exchanged a look, before a single, unanimous nod was made and several voices rose up in tandem, "We talk."

          Yu smiled. Good, he knew they would understand. They'd been keeping this back for too long.

          "Erm . . ."

          He blinked and looked over at Teddie, who was shuffling awkwardly on his feet.

          Yosuke noticed as well, "What's wrong, Ted? You don't think we should tell them?"

          The bear shook his head quickly, "No, no, I don't think that! We _should_ tell them! It's just . . . if we tell them about our personas, we'll also . . . have to tell them about our Shadows."

          The mood dropped at that, the sobering reminder hitting them all like ice water. Of course, it wouldn't be much of an explanation without sharing everything they could. That didn't mean he couldn't understand his friends very sudden discomfort.

          "Right . . ." Yosuke murmured.

          "Hey, we can tell them about Shadows, but, I mean, we don't have to tell them details, do we?" Chie asked, looking discomfited as she kneaded her hands together.

          "We shouldn't have too," Rise put in sharply, "Just enough so they understand how we got our powers, sure, but that stuff is personal! They can respect that!"

          "Yeah, I . . . really don't wanna talk about mine," Kanji said, a visible shudder wracking his body.

          "Same," was the pretty unanimous chorus that replied.

          "A concise explanation should suffice," Naoto said, though her posture was a little more tense than before, "As Rise-san mentioned, there are certain personal boundaries that should be maintained."

          "Agreed . . ." Yosuke said, crossing his arms like a cold wind had just blown over.

          "That should work," Yu said, nodding, "And I'm sure they'd understand."

          "Should we . . . talk to them now?" Yukiko asked after a few seconds of uneasy silence, glancing at the closed door, "Or should we wait?"

          "Well, I'd say 'the sooner the better', but it looked like they were about to talk about something important themselves," Yosuke said.

          "We can ask them when we can talk. That seems like the best move for now," Yu said, deciding an invitation for discourse was best. The nods he got in reply confirmed that the others felt the same.

          Beside him, he heard a rustle of clothing and a pat, and he looked over as Yosuke began speaking to Teddie, who still looked troubled, "Hey, don't worry so much. You being a Shadow counts as personal stuff, too, you know. You don't have to say anything."

          "Mhm!" Chie chipped in, smiling encouragingly, "Sides, even if you told them, I really don't think these guys would care all that much. I mean, half of 'em are . . . different too."

          "They seem like the kind of group who'd be more curious than anything," Rise said.

          ". . . You really think they won't mind?" Teddie asked after a moment, wringing his hands together, "I mean, aside from you guys, I've never told anyone else . . ."

          "I think, in the end, it's your decision, and we'll support whatever you decide," Yu said without hesitation, placing a comforting hand on the boy's head, "Just ask yourself this; do you trust them with that secret? Answer that, and the solution becomes easier to see."

          That seemed to do the trick, because the bear was soon smiling up at him, gratitude in his eyes as he spoke, "Okay. Thanks, Sensei! Everyone!"

          Yu ruffled his hair briefly before dropping his hand, glancing at the door, then his friends, "I'll go ask. We'll most likely have to wait, though."

          "Sure you don't want one of us going with you?" Yosuke asked.

          "Want to see Yvir again, huh?" Chie asked, her smile a teasing one.

          Yosuke flushed, scowling, "N-no, I just don't want Yu going anywhere alone if he doesn't have to!"

          "Aw, that's sweet of you, Yosuke-senpai," Rise smiled as well, eyes twinkling, "Buuut I think Senpai can handle himself. "

          Yu gave the brunette a reassuring look, "They're just down the hall. It'll only take a second."

          Yosuke sighed, "Yeah, I know. It's just after everything we've been through, splitting up doesn't sound very appealing anymore."

          Everyone's eyes fell to the floor, silence returning once more. No one said it out loud (he doubted anyone wanted too), but they were all thinking the same thing.

          Yu understood Yosuke's hesitation and the others unspoken concern, and they were right to be cautious. But he was also fairly confident that they would be alright, especially with the champions so near.

          "I doubt we can have a safer place right now than with our counterparts," Yu reminded them, expression and tone reassuring, "And it'd be a little strange if we all went. I promise, I'll be right back."

          Their expressions relaxed a little, but there was still a nervous air that hovered over the room like a cobweb, tingling against his skin. But there was little else he could say that could ease it. So, with one last reassuring nod, he opened the door and stepped back out into the hall.

          The trek was short, the room dinner had been held in only a hallway down, and soon he was standing before a familiar door he'd walked thorugh only ten minutes prior. Leaning in a little closer, ear angled to the ornate wooden frame, he tried to see if he could catch any snatches of conversation, only to grow puzzled when he heard nothing at all.

          Standing back, he lifted a hand and knocked, loud enough to be heard from the opposite end of the hall.

          . . . no one answered.

          Eyebrows rising a little in confusion, Yu tried again, harder this time. Still nothing.

          Were they not inside?

          He tried the knob, and the door swung open without a hitch. Beyond lay only an empty room.

          _Alright . . ._ Yu thought, a little spooked now.

          Where could they have gone? Why? One would think their counterparts would have told them they were going somewhere!

          Stepping into the room, he looked around, finding nothing except a cleared table and lots of chairs. It was darker now, most of the candles snuffed out and the gray light from outside having faded in the wake of the setting sun. Without the warming glow of the candles and the tantalizing smell of food, the room was . . . a little less inviting that before.

          The wood grain creaked under his feet as he walked further inside, eyes roaming the table in search of a possible note or clue, only to once again come up dry. Worrying at his bottom lip, Yu started contemplating going back to his friends and beginning a search, when a slight movement out of the corner of his eye kicked his reflexes into overdrive.

          He whirled around, hip catching against the corner of the table as he jumped away from the dark mass of shadows rising up in the corner. His back hit something hard and broad a second later, leaving him trapped and helpless as the thing rippled and bulged like vaporous ink, and it was too close to the door to try and flee past. A low buzzing began in his ears, like tv static, never growing louder or uncomfortable, but humming just on the edges of his periphery. Then, all at once, the roiling mass solidified together into a coherent shape, and white eyes peered out from the dark with piercing scrutiny.

          Recognition rose up in Yu's mind, and he sighed.

          It was just Xirskam.

          He leaned back, taking a moment to breath and wait for his heart to calm, head nodding against whatever he'd run into. The buzzing grew just a tad louder, and strangely Yu didn't find it annoying. In fact it was . . . almost familiar . . .

          "You really need to work on letting people know you're there," Yu breathed, looking accusatorily at the tall Shade.

          The creature's reply sounded vaguely reminiscent of a snake's rattling tail before it petered off into familiar silence, apparently deciding that was a substantial answer.

          Yu sighed again, body relaxing further against the thing he was leaning on, when it suddenly struck him that there wasn't anything in the room with these same proportions and lengths except the door, which last he looked was across from him. Curiosity reawakened, he stood up and turned around.

          He found nothing. Just empty space dominated by a table and a few chairs. But as soon as he moved away, the buzzing disappeared.

          That cinched it. Yu had not been imagining things! He had felt something, he was positive!

          Steeling himself, brow knitting together in determination, he stepped forward and reached out with a tentative hand, searching slowly, carefully . . .

          His fingers came to a stop about a half-foot in front in of him, bracing against something cool and hard and completely invisible to his eyes. But the buzzing rose up again, almost urging him on, letting him know he was on the right path.

          He almost leapt away when a pale, vaporous mist suddenly rippled out from under his fingers, rolling over the air like liquid smoke and expanding out in a perfect ring that quickly undid the magic hiding the object from view. Inch by inch like a parting veil, hard wood as rich as mahogany was revealed, ornate carvings of trees and winged beings slipping into view with each passing second until at last a large, beautiful door was before him, tall and imposing and most definitely _not_ supposed to be here.

          The buzzing in the back of his mind grew louder, insistent, _familiar_ , and it was really starting to bother Yu way he couldn't put his finger on _where_.

          He trailed his fingers over the wood, tracing over the carvings and feeling the varnish glide beneath his fingertips. His hand brushed against the golden knob, the molded protrusion cool against his skin, and with an almost idle motion, he wrapped his fingers around it.

          The buzzing grew louder, and this time it was accompanied by a twinge of motion in his very soul that made him freeze.

          _Izanagi!_

          He reached inward again, calling out, but the moment had passed. His persona was silent once more.

          But it had done enough. Now he remembered why this felt familiar. It had happened every time he had pressed through the tv to enter the other world! Could it be possible that this door led to the same place? But how could that be? And why was it here?

          Without thinking, he twisted the knob and made to pull it open, when a clawed hand suddenly gripped his arm in an cold and vice-like hold. Yu froze, craning his neck over his shoulder to peer up at Xirskam, who had come silently to his side without him even noticing.

          The Shade met his startled silver eyes with an even gaze, then shook his head, claws remaining clasped around the boy's arm in unspoken command. They did not press hard enough to tear even his clothes, but he could feel their sharpness through the fabric, like blades composed of slivered ice. Swallowing, Yu gradually released the knob, and he watched as the door faded away into obscurity again, vanishing behind the veil that hid it from sight.

          Xirskam let his arm go right after, stepping back and half-merging with the shadows in the corner, body flickering between solidity and murky intangibility as it settled to watch him.

          Yu shifted from foot to foot, unsure about what to do. Was this door a threat? Xirskam didn't seem overly concerned about it until he tried to go in (which, admittedly, wasn't a very smart idea on his part), and it still didn't answer the question of where the champions had gone.

          Well, he could try asking Xirskam, but the Shade had never been much for conversation before.

          . . . eh, what did he have to lose?

          "Hey . . ." Yu's voice was soft, and Xirskam's white eyes brightened in intensity. Yu tried not to be intimidated by it as he gestured to where the door had been, "Where are the champions? Do they know about this door? Is it dangerous?"

          The shadows around Xirskam's body flickered like black fire, upper body leaning just a bit closer while his eyes glimmered with thought.  

          Then, contrary to expectation, in a voice simultaneously as deep as a chasm and as light as a hissing breeze, he _spoke_ , "Danger only to you, small one. Without the magician as your guide, you would meet only peril."

          Yu stared, stunned to silence. He . . . really not been expecting that to work.

          "I have always been able to speak," Xirskam said, sensing his surprise, "I simply choose not. I do not like your spoken tongues."

          Yu stared, then gave his head a brisk shake. Right, he had questions. Lots of them. And if Xirskam was willing to answer . . .

          "Right, sorry," his apology was quick as he dove into the heart of the issue at hand, "Anyway, what magician? Are you talking about Yvir?"

          Xirskam nodded, his s' rolling into a hiss, "Yessss. That one."

          "So, he knows this door's here?" Yu probed.

          Another nod, "It is his. It would be strange if he did not."

          Yu blinked, "What? This is . . . his door?"

          Xirskam lifted a claw, ebony digit pointed at the unseen subject of their discussion, "The plane beyond this threshold is of his make. A sanctuary disconnected and protected from outside influence, where he and his companions can meet and converse in private. They are there now, in discourse."

          Yu's gaze shot to the general area of where the door was, then back, "They're inside there _now_?"

          "Yesss," the Shade shifted where he stood, smoky body sounding like sand running over granite stone against the floor, "But do not follow. Those without an invitation face danger."

          "Is that right . . ." Yu's mind was only half on what he was saying, gaze perusing where the door had been in newfound interest. So, that was where the champions had gone . . . a plane apart from this one. But why had it reacted like a tv screen? It couldn't be a place like the tv world?

          Could it?

          "Why aren't you with them?" he asked, looking back at Xirskam. He doubted the Shade would have the answer he really wanted.

          The white of the Shade's eyes shrunk, then expanded, "I was tasked with watching you. Watch, and ensure safety."

          Ah . . . so they hadn't left them _completely_ alone.

          "Thank you," Yu said, wondering if this was seen as a chore in the extraplanar creature's eyes.

          "I simply follow my master's command," Xirskam said, dismissing the gratitude. Then, with a touch more consideration, said, "But you are welcome."

          Yu smiled a little, then asked, "Do you think you can tell them that me and my friends would like to talk with them when they come back?"

          "My master and I can share thought. Whatever message you wish conveyed, I can relay it to him," Xirskam promised, and Yu thought the creature might have nodded, but it was too hard to tell.

          "Thank you," Yu said, this time with earnest gratitude. Might be a bit more roundabout than he'd have wanted, but at least the job was done.

          That was when the door leading to the hallway suddenly creaked open, and Yu saw not one, not two, but several shapes crowd inside the threshold. Oh boy . . .

          "There you are!" Yosuke was the first to shout, looking less than pleased as he came inside, "What was taking you so long?"

          "Yeah, we were starting to get worried, Senpai!" Rise was next, slipping inside in a rush, face pressed into a pout.

          "Sensei!" and that would be Teddie, the bear crashing headlong into his stomach. He tried not to wince too noticeably.

          "Where is everyone?" Chie asked, looking around the empty room in confusion, "They were supposed to be here weren't they?"

          "Spooky. And its raining again, too . . ." Yukiko observed, a familiar gleam entering her eyes as a story started weaving itself together in her head.

          "Oh, don't start, please," Chie pleaded.

          "Yeah, really not in the mood right now, Yukiko-senpai," Kanji added.

          Yukiko was right, though. He hadn't heard it before, but listening, he could here the tell-tale patter of rain against the roof.

          "Have you actually encountered them yet, Senpai?" Naoto asked, eyes scanning the room in a way that was much more meticulous than the others.

          "Uh . . ." Yu didn't get to finish, because that was when Xirskam moved and proceeded to scare the crap out of everyone.

          "AH!" Chie, Yukiko, and Rise screamed.

          "WHOA!" Kanji and Yosuke cried, leaping back.

          Naoto jumped, fingers squeezing the table edge as she fought to control her composure while Teddie's arms constricted around Yu's middle tightly, and he was sure that if the bear had had his fur, it'd be standing on end.

          Xirskam's eyes shone, and Yu was certain he saw amusement lighting up the white fire they were composed of. But he did not speak like before.

          By now, everyone had recognized the Shade and were calming down.

          "Geez, you scared us," Chie breathed, pressing a hand to her chest. Annoyance flashed through her eyes, "Can't you let us know you're there?!"

          The Shade did not answer, merely settling back to watch.

          "Course, you're not gonna talk," Yosuke groused, metaphorical hackles lowering.

          "A-anyway," Naoto cleared her throat, "Have you talked to our counterparts yet, Senpai?"

          "Well . . . sort of," Yu started slowly, "It's a bit of a story . . ."

          He explained his recent strange encounter slowly, from the door to his conversation with Xirskam and finally the promise that their message would be delivered. By the time he was finished, everyone was looking beyond him, to where he'd said the door was.

          "There's a . . . door here?" Chie asked skeptically, eyebrow raised.

          "And Yvir _made_ it?" Yosuke asked, crossing his arms.

          "That's what Xirskam said," Yu replied, shrugging.

          "So he can talk . . . I knew it," Yukiko said to herself, looking vindicated about . . . something.

          "How come we can't see it?" Kanji asked, eyes straining in concentration.

          "I imagine something like this is protected," Naoto said, looking thoughtfully at Yu, "How did you find it again, Senpai?"

          "By accident," he replied. Turning around, he continued, "Here, look."

          Reaching out, he touched the space where the door had been, and he heard gasps rise up behind him as the magical entryway reappeared in all its ostentatious glory.

          "Wow, there really is a door!" Chie exclaimed.

          "Ooh, can we go inside, Sensei?" Teddie asked, scampering closer in excitement.

          Yu shook his head, "No, Xirskam said it would be dangerous if we entered alone. Besides, there's something I need to talk about."

          He glanced in Xirskam's direction out of habit, then forced his eyes back to his friends. No, they'd already decided to come clean about this. It didn't matter if the Shade overheard.

          "When I touched this door, I was reminded of the times we entered the tv," he said, drawing everyone's attention back to him.

          "The tv?" Rise asked.

          Yu nodded, "You know that buzzing you get in your head? That feeling was here too?"

          Yosuke was catching on quick, "So, are you saying . . . that this door leads to a place like the tv world?"

          "I don't know," Yu replied honestly. He really didn't.

          "You said this place was a product of Yvir's magic, or something similar to that," Naoto's face was set deep in concentration, the same look she'd get when she was putting the pieces she'd been given together, "In a sense, a place possibly based off of subconscious thought and emotion. _If_ it works like our world does."

          "It could be," Yu acknowledged with a nod in her direction.

          "Can I try it will quick, partner?" Yosuke asked, stepping up to the door. He scarcely waited for Yu to get a word in, for his hand was already pressing against the varnished wood, and Yu knew he felt it because a his breath hissed through his teeth as his shoulders went rigid, "Hey, you're right. It is like that."

          "Hey, let me try!" Chie shouldered her way through and slapped a hand against the door, jerking a little when the same feeling arose within her, "Whoa . . ."

          "So, is it the tv world or not?" Kanji asked, watching.

          "Hm, perhaps something similar. There's a lot about the magic here we have yet to understand," Naoto reasoned, dropping her hands to her hips.

          That was when Yu felt the wood beneath his hand slip away, displacing his weight for a moment and nearly sending him falling forward. He rightened himself just in time, starting back along with Chie and Yosuke as the door they'd been wondering over opened wide.

          Yvir was standing in the threshold, one eyebrow curved up while his lips twitched into a bemused smile, "You know, most people knock when they want to get someone's attention."

          Yu abashedly rubbed at the back of his neck, face flushing with heat. But even as embarrassment ate at him, his nagging curiosity drew his eyes to the space beyond the sorcerer, catching a glimpse of an emerald tree, a marbled pillar, and light as bright as a midmorning sun, as well as a whiff of soil and flora. Then what little view he had was lost as the space was dominated by a grinning gloaming, who had thrown an arm around Yvir's neck and was gazing at them with a twinkle in his eye, "So, Xirskam tells us you're ready to talk!"

          "It's about time," Rhysana pushed past both men and stepped through the door like she wasn't also stepping between two separate planes of existence, "Honestly, we were starting to think you didn't trust us!"

          Yvir rolled his eyes, "You met them a week ago, of course they didn't trust us."

          Rhysana clapped the tips of her thumb and fingers together in a mocking motion before returning her attention to the group, "Well, if you're finally feeling comfortable . . ."

          She stepped aside and held her arm out to the door where Yvir and Tirin stood, smiling, "Care to come inside and have a chat?"

(*)

          Everything was rotten.

          That was the only word to describe this lonely, desiccated place. The trees were stunted and gray, only a few still standing with their withered and broken roots, most having fallen to the earth log ago. Pools of mud and mucous-like sludge rolled over the barren ground, bubbling at intervals and releasing noxious clouds of steam that smelled of decay. The sky was gray, heavy with rain that would never fall, roiling and surging with a life it's earthen counterpart could never hope to mimic. Few, if anything, lived in these forgotten woods anymore, the animals having fled to safer pastures in times long since gone.

          Even still, she heard the whispering.

          All around, with no cause or reason, the echoes of life still clung. A bird's call here, a scampering of a squirrel there, the voices of a laughing man and his child walking by like nothing was wrong.

          And, if she looked close enough, one could almost see the translucent forms hovering at the edges of periphery, silent, shadowy figures that followed her every footfall.

          It wouldn't be long before her wandering drew the attention of the one she wished to find.

          "Well, what do we have here? A lovely new plaything who wishes to dance with us in the mud?"

          No, not long at.

          Smiling, she turned around to face her goal, face as composed as glass when she came face to face with a visage of beauty that belied the dead and dying things around them. In shape, a woman of youth, as lovely as the flowers that dare not bloom here. A woven gown of stormy gray clung to her body, diaphanous and revealing, interwoven with string of pearls and other small trinkets that glittered and shone. A dead rose was woven into the lady's luminous hair, petals crinkling with every step, bare feet squishing into the mud without a care as she circled her prey. But she knew that this beauty was only superficial.

          A pretty little lie.

          "Greetings," she said, bowing humbly, "I have come with an offer I think you'll find most tantalizing."

          "Oh?" the woman's lips stretched into an almost comical 'o', black eyes growing wide with mock wonderment, "And whatever does this messenger bring to poor, pithy, pathetic little me? In these woods? All. By. Her. Self?"

          "Just as I said. An offer," she replied, keeping low in supplication.

          The mud at her feet shifted once as the ruler of the dead woods came to stand just before her, and she wrinkled her nose at the lingering smell of rot that assailed her senses.

          "And just what kind of offer? Please, do tell! It's been so lonely here of late, no one _ever_ comes to visit!"

           She founder her eyes wandering to small rise in the mud at her feet, seeing the contours and ivory gleam of an eye socket and cracked skull. Hm, a 'visitor', perhaps . . .

          She stood straight, and did not even flinch as she made eye contact with the lady, who's face had suddenly and drastically changed. Gone was the youthful skin as supple as a peach, and in its place was cracked and rotted flesh that hung from bone and putrefied muscle, the inner workings of her jaw visible as she smiled long and wide. Her eyes had sunken in, glazed orbs that had lost their luster and color, her hair falling out in clumps to tangle in the muck below. Her dress sagged around her now skeletal frame, bony fingers teasing around the fabric as she swished it from side to side.

          "Aw . . . already so much more respectful than my other suitors," the creature said, tone light and laughing as a centipede crawled out of her mouth and into her greasy hair, "Alright, I'll humor you, my little plaything. What does such a funny creature wish of the dead, the drowned, and the damned?"

          "An alliance," she replied quickly, folding her hands together. She waited a breath . . . then dangled her bait, "One I'm sure even your mother would fear."

          The woman's smile vanished, and the trees around her gave a violent, cracking shudder that sent several toppling into the murk, waves of mud disturbing the silent tranquility of rot.

          "My mother?" the lady asked with a voice like ice and death.

          "Yes," she continued, smiling herself now, "And if you care to listen, you might just have a way to have that 'conversation' you've been wishing for, for so long."

          The woman's bony fingers cracked as she bent them up and down, up and down, fury roiling like a mass of maggots beneath her rotten skin . . . then she smiled, face melting back into that beautiful lie as she spoke in tepid calmness, "Please . . . continue."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, we don't get to the actual conversation until next chapter. Apologies.
> 
> But you do get a gross lady! How about that?


	23. The Last Return

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeey. Man, has it been while, or has it been while? I know. School's been a pain.
> 
> Anyway, here we are again. With a new area, some laughs, and . . . a song. :)
> 
> Enjoy!

         "Inside?" Yosuke parroted, breaking the silence as he pointed at the door, "In there?"

          Yvir quirked an eyebrow, crossing his arms, "Well, don't sound _too_ enthusiastic . . ."

          "Oh, its not scary!" Rhysana reassured them, "Really, its just like walking through any other door."

          "If you say so . . ." Chie murmured, eyes wandering to the smattering of leaves dangling along the top edge of the door frame.

          "Oooh!" Teddie, on the other hand, looked all for it as he scampered closer, stars in his eyes, "Come on you guys, it looks like fun!"

          "That's the spirit!" Tirin urged, grinning, "Keep that up, we'll make something out of you yet!"

          Teddie stuck his tongue out at the gloaming, which netted him a silent chuckle from the man. He didn't bother to argue, however, as the boy was much too eager to explore what lay beyond the door. Yu and the rest could only watch as he blew on ahead, vanishing over the threshold and into the light.

          "And there he goes . . ." Yosuke mumbled.

          "You should probably follow him," Rhysana quipped, leaning against the floating frame of the door as she gestured to the opening.

          Yu glanced at his friends, then shrugged his shoulders and nodded towards the door before heading towards it himself. There was no point in delaying the inevitable, and this conversation was a long time coming. Besides, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't curious about what lay beyond.

          And what lay beyond indeed! As soon as he stepped over the threshold, Yu was greeted with a breeze that smelled of earth and flora, crisp and cool and so much more pleasant than the nipping cold from that morning. The place he entered reminded him of a gazebo, with thin marbled pillars and an arched dome that ran wild with lush, prickly ivy, the growth so thick it lay like a tarp over the structure, the door rising proudly at its heart. Through the sparse gaps to his right, Yu could just make out the bright, glimmering blue of water, and to his right, the tell-tale spread of emerald grassland pricked with colorful spots of flowers. The mouth of the gazebo led to a long, narrow tunnel overrun with ivy, though small vines coiled down from the ceiling at intermittent spots to fold into a tightly compact sphere, a shiny amber light emanating from within. He could see Teddie further in, gazing up at the living lamps with wonder and otherwise ambivalent to his entrance.

           More than that, he felt a tingle race through his very soul like an electric spark through a power coupling, the real, visceral magic of the place falling over his body like a cloak, humming vibrantly against his skin.

          He'd just walked into another plane, and his spirit knew it. As an afterthought, he tried reigniting that spark. But like he expected, all that came up was an ember. 

          Still . . . that ember burned much closer than it ever had before.

          But he could bring that up later. For now . . .

          "You made this?" he asked softly, because indeed, this place had been made! It was still . . . a surprisingly hard concept to grasp.

          "Mhm," was Yvir's calm response, though it was touched by pride, "Spent a good while picking out what I wanted to do. But I think it came out okay."

          "Okay?" Yu heard Rise ask as she walked forward, feet tapping against the wooden floor of the gazebo, "If this is 'okay', I wonder what your definition of fantastic is."

          "I'll take that as a compliment," Yvir said.

          " . . . wow," was all Chie had to say on the subject.

          "If you're amazed now, I _really_ can't wait until you see the rest of the place!" Tirin commented as he skipped passed them and into the tunnel. Twirling around to face them, he grinned and declared with a flourish, "Alrighty, this tour is officially underway! And I'll be acting as your lovable-and sexy-guide!"

          "This is technically _my_ hou-prft!" Yvir's words were smothered as Tirin pressed an unceremonious hand against his face, never once looking away from his 'audience' and smiling the whole time.

          "With company!" Tirin added jovially, ignoring the sorcerer's fuming stare.

          Yu was torn between perplexion and humor, and he could only give Yvir an apologetic half-smile as a few chuckles rose up around him. One of which was most assuredly Rhysana.

          "Alright! Let's get going!" Tirin crowed, stepping behind them and ushering them along post-haste.

          The tunnel only went on for a short while, curving up at an slight incline about halfway down, an indication they were going uphill. The ivy lamps were fascinating, but Tirin wasn't letting them pause long enough to get a decent look. Still, the intricate way in which the growing tendrils laced and looped together was nothing short of artistic.

          It wasn't very long, however, before the tunnel ended and they were being pushed out onto the cobbled stone path beyond.

          The knoll they emerged on barely rose above the glittery expanse of water to their left, the elevation allowing for a cool, misty breeze to roll up from the waves and spread over the land. Plush, springy grass covered the entire expanse of open hill, bordered by a fringe of trees that grew denser the farther west one went, until moorland ended and a true forest began. And at the apex of the hill, overlooking both the lake and the forest and the hill, was a decently sized yet surprisingly quaint little cabin.

          Although, 'quaint' may be the wrong word. It certainly wasn't stupendous in size, maybe forty-five feet in length and thirty in width, with two stories and possibly an attic. It had four walls as far as he could tell, but that wasn't what made it strange. What made it strange was that the outlying wood making up those four walls seemed to be entirely comprised of living, growing trees. The trunks all merged close together, so close not even a gap remained save for the few hollow spaces he guessed served as windows, sparse of any glass. The tops of each spread apart in an array of dark green leaves, rustling softly in the breeze, interlocking branches no doubt serving as a ceiling though that could scarcely be seen through the thick foliage.

          " . . . is that a house made of trees?" Kanji asked after a quiet moment of observation.

          "And living ones, too," Naoto mused, a thread of awe touching her words, "Impressive."

          "Ooh, can we go inside?" Teddie asked, barely stopping himself from running forward on his own.

          "Wow, this place is a lot more humble than I was expecting," Rise commented offhandedly, looking the cabin over with a pleased stare, "It's nice."

          "Yeah, I was honestly kinda expecting something a little more . . ." Chie waved her arms out as she searched for the word.

          Yukiko supplied it for her, "Grandiose?"

          Chie grinned, "Yeah! Like a castle, or something."

          Rhysana chuckled, "If you're disappointed, I can assure you that Yvir of a few years ago would have exceeded all your expectations."

          Yvir crossed his arms, cocking an eyebrow, "You make it sound so unflattering."

          "We say it out of love!" Tirin 'reassured' him with a hearty pat on his back.

          "Uh-huh," the man replied flatly.

          "There you are!"

          Everyone looked ahead just as Cahira pushed her way through one of the windows on the ground floor. Hitching her hip on the base of the two intersecting trunks, she waved to them, "C'mon, what are you just standing out there for?"

          "We're coming right now, calm down!" Yvir hollered back. Then, with a touch more force, he added, " _And you better not be using my kitchen!_ "

          She cocked her head to the left, as if listening to someone they couldn't hear, then waved once more before disappearing back inside without acknowledging Yvir's shouts. The sylph sighed, "I sometimes wonder how Ylvaria puts up with her."

          "Probably the same way Yalathas puts up with you," Rhysana rebuffed, teasing.

          Yu turned slightly at the name, interest sparking. He knew by now who it belonged to.

          But Tirin was already pushing them along again, overeager to get to the house and probably not because he wanted to show them the interior decorating.

          Inside, it would be time to talk.

          A sudden onset of nerves gripped him, coiling tight in his stomach. He wasn't sure how exactly to broach the subject in its entirety; from all they had to explain, what they knew, what they'd gone through, it was a pretty wide pallet to cover. Not too mention the last time he'd come clean to someone not in the know . . .

          But they weren't exactly in a state of emergency, and where they were headed was nothing like an interrogation room. With that thought in mind, he took a breath and forced himself to relax.

          Beside him, Yosuke asked, "So, this place . . . you made it?"

          Yvir nodded, a touch of pride entering his voice, "Wasn't easy. But I think it was worth."

          "Well no _duh_ , you literally made yourself your own personal world!" Yosuke said, gesticulating to their surroundings, "I mean, sure, maybe its not what I woulda made, but its still pretty freaking awesome!"

          "Glad to have your seal of approval," was the sylph's reply, the corners of his mouth twitching up into a smile.

          "Can you change it?" Teddie put that question forth, looking intrigued.

          "Sure," Yvir replied as if he were talking about changing a light bulb instead of an entire landmass. He could see a few people begin to raise eyebrows of speculation, when, without a cue or a clue, Yvir snapped his fingers.

          Yu jolted to a stop as the light suddenly an inexplicably vanished, the land around them plunging into darkness. Startled cries went up around him, and he felt someone thud into his back at the same time, the change so jarring it took time for his eyes to adjust. But when they did, it was too see that the sun hadn't _vanished_ , per say. It had simply been replaced by a field of stars and a single, silver crescent moon.

          The sudden starlight glittered across the lake like diamond dust, sharp and scintillating in their cold beauty. The trees were awash with silver light, the dark shadows beneath their branches feeling nonthreatening under the tranquil night sky.

          Quiet breaths of awe and wonder rose up from his assembled friends, and he could say without shame that he was one of them.

          ". . . Okay, that was pretty fucking cool," Kanji said, eyes bugging. The best any one else did was give murmurs of slightly stunned agreement.

          "Holy shit . . ." he heard Yosuke breath next to him.

          "Do it again! Do it again!" Teddie cheered, eyes sparkling with childlike delight.

          Yvir chuckled, "Lights on or off, kid. It does get draining after a while."

          "I say keep it like this," Tirin said, skin aglow in the dark, "Its nice.~"

          "Daylight," was Teddie's immediate response.

          Tirin huffed.

          The sorcerer chuckled again, then snapped his fingers. Immediately, faster than he could even blink, the area was flooded again by piercing daylight. Yu winced at the change, eyes watering.

          "Ah! Bit of warning next time, please!" Chie yelled, rubbing her eyes.

          "Sorry," Yvir said, but the half-smile on his face said 'not very'.

          "Erm, if you don't mind me asking, what made you pick this aesthetic?" Yukiko questioned slowly, hands folded in front of her out of respect as they resumed their march to the house.

          "Yeah, its a lot more, I don't know . . . country than I would have thought," Chie said, looking around at the display of nature.

          "Why does that surprise you?" Yvir asked her. It sounded genuine.

          "Um, well, I guess its just . . . Yosuke's a city kid. So I guess I just thought it'd be more like a city."

          That got Yvir's attention, and his eyes brightened considerably, "Well, I do like cities, I won't lie!"

          "Understatement~," Yu heard Tirin whisper in sing-song.

          It didn't take long for Yu to understand what the rogue was going on about. Already, Yvir was getting more animated, going off on a tangent that no one could (or knew how) to stop, "But how couldn't I? The noise, the people, the _energy!_ Rumors and gossip are everywhere, and everything spreads like wildfire! A noble commits a social faux-pas and by midday even the beggars know what happened, who did it, and how! And they're so massive too, you could get lost for hours! It's _fantastic_!"

          Yu exchanged a wondering glance with Yosuke, who looked torn between amusement, fascination, and second-hand embarrassment. Everyone else just looked amused, if a little confused.

          "You said you're from a city?" Yvir abruptly turned all of his attention on Yosuke, who took a step back as a volley of questions were suddenly sent his way, "What are they like in your world? Do they have them dedicated to different purposes, like military or trade? What about- _ack!_ "

          He cut off with a yelp as Rhysana slyly swept up behind him and gave his ponytail a sharp tug, speaking plainly, "Alright, that's enough. You can drill him afterwards."

          With a displeased frown, the man whipped his hand back and pulled his hair free, "Okay, okay! Sheesh . . ."

          Yu and his friends traded bemused glances, but it wasn't until Chie's perplexed whisper that the silence broke, "So, does that weird outburst mean Yvir's not from any city?"

          "Perhaps," Naoto intoned from the back, shrugging, "Its not as if we shouldn't expect such differences, if that is the case."

          "Huh . . ." Yosuke hummed under his breath, brow knitted together in thought, "Honestly, that kinda surprises me more than him being not human."

          "We could ask," Yukiko reminded them, glancing in the sorcerer's direction.

          Someone cleared their throat, and they all jumped as they found Tirin had stealthily inserted himself into their circle-again-a smile on his face and his hands on his hips as he leaned in close, "Hey, couldn't help but overhear what you guys were talking about!"

          "Eavesdropped, more like . . ." Yosuke grumbled.

          "So, I'll just be upfront!" Tirin continued blithely, but there was something about his posture that seemed a bit . . . off, "Yvir was born in a small logging village in the far west of Endrivan. His parents were merchants who moved there to help with exportation of supplies, and he didn't see his first real city until way later. Hope that answers your questions!~"

          Chie shot Yosuke a victorious smirk, which the brunette pointedly ignored.

          But for Yu, he couldn't ignore that needling sensation of uneasiness at Tirin's rather blatant unloading of information, "Erm, thank you, but why-"

          Tirin held up a finger, "Now, in return for my gracious answers, I want you all to do me a teeny-tiny, itty-bitty little favor!~"

          He pressed that finger to his still smiling lips, a smile that looked just a little sharper than it had a moment before, "Don't ask Yvir about it."

          With that, he turned on his heel and walked towards the house, without any further comment.

          Yu's uneasiness had transferred to the rest by now, but no one knew what to say or do about his . . . 'favor'.

          "Um . . . okay?" Yosuke mumbled to himself, confused.

          "What did he mean?" Teddie was fidgeting, looking between his friends for an answer, which unfortunately was not forthcoming.

          "That was kinda creepy . . ." Rise commented under her breath.

          "Indeed . . ." Naoto murmured, but her eyes were thoughtful.

          Clearly, she suspected there was more to that story than Tirin's quick summarization. He suspected much the same.

          By that point they'd arrived at the house, so they couldn't exactly comment on it further. The front door (which really was just a pair of large roots that lay pressed together), opened of its own accord, plying apart until a large hole was open before them, allowing entry. Beyond lay an entire open living room lit by shafts of bright light that fell from the hollows between the trunks, roomy and filled with furniture that seemed to grow from the roots themselves. The open space was dominated by a large circular sitting area impressed into the floor itself, filled with comfortable looking cushions and a simple oaken table where refreshments could be set. Two archways were in the room, one set into the left wall, the other the right, leading to places Yu couldn't quite make out. The mild scent of cedar and cinnamon hung in the air, perhaps a byproduct of the living wood around them, but it was far from an unpleasant smell.

          "Hm, I probably should have spaced this out a bit more . . ." Yvir mused to himself as he stepped inside, looking over the seating arrangements, "Not used to having this many people over."

          "We'll make do.~" Rhysana said, striding forward with graceful poise so she could seat herself on the plush looking cushions.

          No sooner had she sat down, Korval and Nyras appeared in the leftmost archway, the former looking worried and the latter looking mildly annoyed.

          "Uh, what's with those faces?" Yvir asked.

          Korval spoke first, holding his hands up apologetically as Nyras let out a sigh, "We tried to stop 'em, we swear."

          Now Yvir (and everyone else) started to grow wary, "What do you mean?"

          Before either could answer, there was movement up in the interlocked wooden boughs that made up the ceiling, and suddenly Aife was flying down, wings flaring out in prismatic splendor as he alighted on Yvir's head. He warbled into his ear, viridian eyes flashing with warning.

          All at once, Yu was blasted in the face by a forceful wind, as strong as a stormy gale, hair whipping up in a frenzy along with the cushions and the small knickknacks hanging from the ceiling. At the same time, Yvir flew-quite literally-through the archway, vanishing around the corner, voice rising, " _Cahiraaaaaa!_ "

          There was a thud of what may have been a door slamming open, followed by a shout that was so loud Yu could quite easily make out the words, " _What_ did I tell you about using my _kitchen?!_ "

          Cahira rose her voice in kind, something heavy giving a muted clang as it was unceremoniously dropped, "Well, we just thought it would be nice to make some snacks, what's so wrong with that?!"

          Korval awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, lips pursed.

          "What's wrong with it is that I have a policy of _not_ poisoning my guests, now _get out!_ "

          Tirin placed a hand over his mouth and giggled, face filled with unabashed delight. Beside him, Rhysana closed her eyes and shook her head.

          "We aren't going to poison anyone! You're overreacting!"

          Nyras pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.

          " _No_ , I am _not!_ Do I need to remind you what happened the last time you two tried to cook something?"

          There was a pause. Another, more muted voice spoke up, probably Ylvaria, but the words weren't as clear.

          Then, "W-well, no one was poisoned that time, and we've practiced since then!"

          A scoff, "Yeah, because you dropped it and _killed half my trees!_ I have no idea how you managed to mix up grimroot with sage, but I am not taking any chances!" His voice rose like he was cutting someone off before they could speak, _"And I don't care how much you've practiced!_ Now _out!_ "

          The noise abated to muted grumbling and clanging, leaving an awkward silence hanging over the group left in the living room.

          Then Nyras cleared her throat, "Well, I'll be the first of polite company and apologize for that display." 

          Yu scratched the back of his head, and a few others began to shuffle on their feet in hushed silence, but Yosuke was the first to speak up, ". . . I don't think you have to, cause it sounds like Yvir just saved our lives."

          "Yosuke!" Chie snapped, face flushing.

          "Well, its true! If they're cooking is even half as bad as yours, then we just dodged a bullet!"

          The girl's face a was mix of indignation and embarrassed anger, "Sh-shut up, okay, it was an honest mistake!"

          "What about the second time? The third?"

          "Shut up!"

          "Well, _I've_ been practicing," Yukiko cut into the conversation, fiddling with her frock. Then she smiled, "Yu-kun's even been taste-testing what I make, just to be sure I'm improving!"

          Yu internally cringed when Rise's head shot up, "What?!"

          "Wow . . . you are a brave man," Yosuke mumbled, but he looked more pitying rather than impressed.

          Kanji made a motion with his hands like he was casting out the evil spirits, "S'kinda incredible that you didn't get sent to the hospital . . ."

          "Oh, come _on_ , it's not _that_ bad!" Chie shouted over them all.

          "Senpai, you were offering yourself to be a taste-tester for young ladies, and you didn't think to ask _me_?" Rise pout lasted for only a few seconds before she straightened and sauntered towards him, smiling sweetly, "Well, if you're being so considerate, you wouldn't mind trying some of my food once in a while, right Senpai?"

          Oh god . . . taste-testing for one culinary disaster, however much she had improved, was one thing, but setting his taste buds on fire in conjunction with that . . .

          " . . . I refrain from making any new obligations, culinary or otherwise, while we're here."

          Rise's shoulders slumped in disappointment, "Oh . . ."

          "Yeah, don't tempt fate, man," Yosuke added.

          Chie looked this close to kicking him again, and Yosuke seemed aware of this, as he'd conveniently positioned the seating area between himself and her.

          " . . .Well, at least this sort of behavior can be expected on your behalf," Nyras commented softly, arms crossed.

          "Erm, well . . ." Yosuke trailed off, cheeks turning a little red.

          There was a flurry of activity by the archway, and Korval and Nyras stepped to the side as Yvir reentered, wind licking at his heels and face flushed with annoyance. Aife sat on his shoulders, a soft chatter clicking between his fangs as he held on.

          Cahira and Ylvaria followed right after, the former looking just as annoyed while the latter merely looked apologetic.

          The two sat on the 'couch', essentially, while Yvir took instead to hovering behind them, quite literally sitting on air with one leg crossed over the other.

          Rhysana was the first to break the silence, urging everyone's eyes away from the floating man and onto her with a brisk clap of her hands, "Well, now that we're all gathered, how about a song?"

          That caught Yu off gaurd, "But, weren't we going to-?"

          Rhysana waved a hand at him, eyes twinkling, "Come on, make yourselves comfortable! This is one of my favorites!"

          Everyone shared puzzled stares, unsure of where this was going. But, after a brief hesitation, they all began to take seats.

          Unfortunately, there was only so much room, and in the end, it was Yosuke, Teddie, Yukiko, Chie, and himself along with the other champions who'd already sat down. Everyone else was left to take spots around the circumference of the sitting area.

          The atmosphere was a little . . . odd. One, there was the argument, which left a subtle tension between the sorcerer and monk despite the yelling having long since ended. Chie and Yosuke weren't doing much better. Besides that, there was the inevitability of their discussion; the whole reason they were here to begin with. He was still nervous about it, and he knew full well the others felt the same as they waited for it to start.

          Except apparently, Rhysana had other plans. Plans that none of the other champions were protesting too, either, he noticed.

          "So, you know we talked about legends, the stories and the myths?" she questioned, leaning in with a bright smile.

          "Uh, yeah, but what does this-?"

          Yosuke didn't get to finish, as Rhysana was already undoing her harp and strumming the strings in tuneful harmony. Yu gave an inquisitive glance to the ones across from him, hoping to be supplied some answers, but they were focused on Rhysana.

          Naoto cleared her throat, "Um, I understand your music is important to you, but I was under the impression we were going to-"

          "Oh sweetheart, this _is_ important!" Rhysana grinned, the notes her fingers played beginning to merge together into a melody, "Just trust me.~"

          Yu could only give Naoto a helpless shrug. He had no idea what her intentions were, but it seemed there was no stopping her now.

          So instead, he sat back to listen.

          The melody was soft at first, the string instrument responding beautiful under it's master's graceful fingers. And before long, Rhysana was singing;

_A long time ago now_

_I saw him._

_Blood of angel divine_

_brings light to our story tonight._

          Her voice was as melodious as ever, plucking and pulling at their heartstrings and commanding there attention as her voice rose to fill the entire room;

_Demon's cry,_

_Split the night_

_Warden's crown_

_Did fall._

_Silver flame_

_Unknown name_

_Here our hope is born._

          Yu felt himself getting drawn in deeper as Rhysana slipped into another instrumental refrain, finding himself involuntarily swaying along to the music, his friends falling into a similar trance as the music swelled;

_Cry out, cry out_

_Into the clouds_

_Lift our spirits and souls_

_Into the light that he shown_

          He wondered at the song's story. Who it was about, what transpired in its wake;

_Demon's cry_

_Fell at light_

_Traitor's scheme_

_Is shorn._

_Silver blade_

_Ends our pain_

_Here our hope takes form_

          Why was it one of Rhysana's favorites?

_Cry out, cry out_

_Into the clouds_

_Blood of angel divine_

_Salvation in silver eyes_

          Rhysana played out the final notes on her harp, the music coming to a slow and fading ending that ended on a timber rather than a crescendo, but Yu didn't find that a problem. It was, after all, a very nice song.

          "Hm, that was nice," Rise said after a moment of basking in the moment, "Did you write that?"

          Rhysana nodded, looking pleased, "I did! I think it's one of my best works."

          "It is a very lovely song, Rhys," Nyras informed her.

          "Aw, thank you!"

          "What was it about?" Yu asked, interest now thoroughly piqued even though he could sense Naoto's growing discomfort. No doubt she wanted to get this underway.

          _Sorry, Naoto . . ._ he thought. Idly, he wondered if he was subconsciously procrastinating.

          "Well . . ." Rhysana sent him another smile as she strummed her harp, then quietly nodded her head to the door, "Why don't you ask him?"

          Yu froze. For one second, he froze, even when he felt the others turn around.

          Then, in a moment that passed in an eternity, he turned to look as well.

          The door was wide open, and in their oblivious trance, they hadn't noticed the man who walked inside. A man who now stood silhouetted in sunlight and shadow, but even still, one could easily discern the mop of dove-grey hair, the smooth jaw line, the pale skin . . .

          Eyes of sterling silver met eyes of muted grey, and Yu sucked in a breath between clenched teeth as he came face to face with his very own counterpart.

          Yalathas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SURPRISE MOTHERFUCKAH!! 
> 
> Yeeeah . . . I did just do that. 
> 
> Anyway, now that the trickeries are out of the way, I promise, PROMISE, we will get to the discussion proper next chapter.
> 
> But hey, did you seriously think the Champions would have such an important discussion without their noble leader present? ;)
> 
> Btw, song is set to the tune of 'Our Hero' by BrunahVille and Sharm. (Note: these two songs have different lyrics with very, VERY different meanings, so take that into consideration). Rhysana's song title for it is 'Salvation in Silver'.
> 
> See you next chapter!~


	24. A Discourse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another long one guys. Now with 100% more Yalathas and an egregious use of the word 't.v'.
> 
> I.E - the chapter every single one of you has been waiting for.
> 
> I hope I deliver. :P
> 
> Enjoy!

          Yu couldn't quite adequately describe what he felt in that moment. Shock was there, he was certain. A sense of wonderment like he hadn't felt since first arriving in Endrivan was there as well. Throw in a cocktail mix of excitement, uncertainty, and nervousness to that, then you might be getting close.

          The other man's eyes, eyes so like his own in shape yet so bright in color, crinkled in amusement and sympathetic understanding. It made him wonder; did Yalathas feel similarly? Yu would ask, but seeing as his mouth wasn't up to working right then, he found he couldn't.

          Physically, Yalathas looked very much like he did. Like, pretty much exactly the same, particular hair style and everything. The only notable feature Yu could discern as different right off the bat were their eyes. Yu's own were dark, deep, a shade of grey that could be as hard as flint or as soft as fleece depending on the situation. Yalathas' were . . . brighter, a sharp, scintillating silver like the polished edge of a sword or pieces of fractured starlight. His armor was just as bright, tightly compact plates of silver linked together with a weave of mithral chain, surprisingly sleek in design and giving off just the faintest glow of magic. Faulds attached to the cuirass, yet they bore a strange malleability, like they were made of cloth instead of metal so they couldn't hinder movement. The gauntlets on his hands went up to his elbows, flaring out into an even array of metallic feathers that appeared liquid smooth despite their solidness. His boots were much the same, save for the thin layer of mithral that was tightly affixed to the front of the article, starting at the top of the cuff and ending just under the sabaton. A torque was around his neck, twin threads of silver with feathers fletched all along the bands, spreading out along his collar and throat. A scabbard was attached to his hip, dark grey leather that appeared supple and soft, the tip adorned with metallic whorls of white steel. The hilt of that same sword was long, meant for two hands, the circular pommel inscribed with a softly glowing rune and the center of the cross-gaurd set with faceted diamond.

          He looked cool . . . like a holy knight . . .

          His friends voices rose up in quiet, awed murmurs, all eyes on the newcomer. If Yalathas was ever uncomfortable under the scrutiny, he hid it well, merely shifting his weight to his right leg, attention shifting to the left and speaking in a voice that was low, resonant, and just like Yu's own, "Excellent performance as always, Rhys. But maybe next time we should just go for a normal introduction."

          Rhysana waved a hand as she rose to her feet, striding across the room to meet him, "Pft! Where's the fun in that? Besides, how often do I get to play a song about you when you're in earshot?"

          Without pause, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, squeezing, tone giddy, "But whatever about that! Its so good to see you again!~"

          Yalathas returned it, smiling now, "Its good to see you too, Rhys."

          Another pair of arms looped around Yalathas from behind, Tirin's voice taking on an unusually whiny tone Yu wasn't accustomed to hearing from him, "Yalathaaas, what about meee?"

          "Wait your turn," Rhysana said curtly.

          "But I give better hugs."

          "Oh, is that a challenge?"

          Yalathas' smile widened, the fondness apparent in his eyes, a feeling Yu was well acquainted and understood perfectly. Understanding was good, right?

          "Its good to see you too, Tirin," he said, reaching up to pat the other man on the head. The gloaming gave a pleased grin, giggling under his attention.

          "Maaaybe save that competition stuff for later, huh?" Cahira cut in, tapping the end of her staff on Rhysana's shoulder, "And don't hog all the space!"

          Rhysana chuckled but moved away, grinning up at Yalathas as the rest of the champions began to gather around their own leader.

          "That includes you, Tirin," Cahira added, looking pointedly at the mop of blonde hair resting on Yalathas' shoulder.

          The gloaming scrunched his nose at her and pouted, but one more look had him reluctantly acquiescing to her demand.

          "You know I don't mind, Cahira," the man said, shrugging.

          "I know, but then that leaves no room for anyone else. Now stop being a stranger and get over here!" Cahira said, grinning from ear to ear as she pulled him by the arm, armor and all, into a strong embrace. It was all energy, full of affection, and even though she stepped away a moment later, she was still grinning from ear to ear in blatant happiness.

          Ylvaria came forward then, gripping Yalathas' hands in her own. But instead of an embrace, she pressed her cheeks against his own, transitioning from the left to the right in practiced ease, saying in the flowing, silken language of her people, " _Suo nimiu di, amicum._ "

          Yalathas responded in kind, smiling softly, " _Habet,_ Larethian's _autem grati unar._ "

          A greeting, obviously, one overlaid with a cultural tone that, in his eyes, was very forward. But this was a different world with different customs, and a hello as strangely personal as that was no exception. He'd look to see Yukiko's reaction, but frankly, that wouldn't hold his attention right now.

          The elf pulled back, eyes full of a happiness she didn't need to put into words as she spoke, this time clearly and with a hint of teasing, "You still owe me that dinner."

          A slight cringe crossed Yalathas' face, but he nodded, "I do, don't I? I guess an apology still won't cut it?"

          "No."

          "Hey, you pay for one, you pay for two!" Cahira said, slipping an arm around Ylvaria's and pressing close to her side, "Its a rule of courtesy."

          " . . . Are you sure an apology won't fix it, Ylvaria?" Yalathas asked, this time a touch more desperate.

          The woman smiled in mirth, eyes sparkling deviously, "Absolutely sure."

          "Hey, would'ya let us in, now?" Korval ask brusquely, looking impatient.

          Ylvaria released Yalathas' hands, stepping away with Cahira still (rather closely) glued to her side as the big half-orc took their place. With a huge grin, the man threw both arms around the smaller with gusto, beating a hand against his back with a boisterous laugh, "Been way too long, _Grot-Ean_! S'good to see ya!"

          Yalathas was released with a grunt, rubbing his neck but smiling back all the same, "The same. Been quiet ever since the two of you left for the Underdark."

          "We can say the same," Nyras said, hugging him in turn. It was brief and over in a flash, but no less warm than the others had been even as she reestablished a more comfortable distance, "Sometime later, we need to sit down and discuss what we've been through."

          "Just say you've got stories you want to share! That's what I do," Rhysana interjected, mood astonishingly more chipper since Yalathas' arrival, and that was saying something, "Besides, I think we brought the best one back with us."

          Her eyes flickered to where they sat, and not one word more needed to be said.

          A cooling breath of air ghosted over Yu's cheek, and for the first time since Yalathas' entry, he found his eyes wandering towards Yvir. The sylph was floating over to the silver-eyed man's side, coming to a static hover just before him, and the expression on his face was . . . well . . .

          Yosuke had always been a guarded person. It was simply how he was, someone not willing let emotions out for fear of the backlash at his pride and image. Yu could count the number of times his best friend had truly opened up to him on one hand. And he didn't mean the times of simply saying how much one mattered to the other, but moments met with real connection, where all walls and pretenses had been dropped and discarded. Those moments, few as they were, was some of his best memories, personal experiences, things only shared between the two of them. Otherwise, Yosuke was his old, cheerful self, playing the funny man part with a grin and a (sometimes bad) joke.

          There were no walls on Yvir's face, and what he saw was an open, unabashed affection mixed with something even more. It was a look that transported Yu back to a grass-covered hillside overlooking Inaba, back to a dusky riverbed where only two souls stood, knuckles bruised and breathless, but content.

          And Yalathas was returning it.

          "Hey. Long time, no see," Yalathas said.

          Yvir's lips quirked up into a small half-smile, but his eyes were glowing with pleasure, "Shut up, you saw me yesterday."

          "That's a long time," Yalathas replied smoothly.

          From his place on Yvir's shoulder, Aife warbled, flashing a viridian eye in Yalathas' direction. The man nodded to the little beast, "And you, Aife."

          With familiar ease, Yalathas plucked a piece of dried fruit from his belt and tossed it towards the fae. The dragon wheeled up immediately, snapping it out of the air with a falcon's speed before settling back on Yvir's shoulder, humming contently as he gnawed.

          "You spoil him, you know that?" Yvir said, a while he looked like he was trying to be serious, the amused smile on his face ruined it.

          Yalathas gave an idle shrug, eyes flashing with playful challenge, "So, who's going to stop me?"

          Yvir cocked an eyebrow, and Yalathas began to reach a hand out to the sorcerer-

          -when suddenly Rhysana slipped herself between them, grabbing Yalathas' searching hand and smiling, "Alright, well, now that we've said _our_ hellos-" she spun around and swung an extravagant arm out to where Yu and the others were, "Why don't we actually introduce you!"

          She shoved him upfront, putting him right in the spotlight. Yalathas looked startled for a moment, as if he were not expecting her sudden interruption, but his expression leveled out a heartbeat later in understanding. Behind him, Yu saw Cahira sharply nudge Yvir in the ribs, almost like a silent reprimand. The sorcerer gave her a sour glance in reply, glaring pointedly at her and Ylvaria's interlocked arms before turning away, rubbing the spot but otherwise keeping quiet. Nyras was sighing.

          Yalathas straightened, overlooking the group with placid eyes, and Yu found himself almost standing to attention. There was something about Yalathas' demeanor, a quiet yet powerful presence that wasn't intimidating yet called forth respect. It was . . . something else.

          "I have been a bit rude, haven't I?" he questioned rhetorically, smiling, "Even though you probably already know who I am."

          . . . what did he say? Yu legitimately had no idea, which was a problem because he _knew_ everyone was waiting for him, specifically, to reply. But he sat, frozen, a sensation not unlike cotton in his throat as he stared back. 'Stage fright' was not a phenomenon he ever expected to feel for himself, but there was nothing else he could think of to describe his total inability to even form a sentence.

          Luckily, Naoto saved him. Bless her.

          "We _do_ know you . . . Yalathas-san," she started off a bit hesitantly, groping in a way that was unusual for her, "And, I'm sure you know who we are too."

          "Its been a subject of some discussion lately," Yalathas replied, a twinkle of amusement entering his silver-bright eyes, "Naoto."

          The girl blinked, then idly fiddled with her cap, pulling it down just so.

          There was movement, and Teddie was standing in front of him, looking up in unusually silent wonder. He tilted his head to one side, eyes probing the man like a child probed an unknown bird or insect. Then, he chirped, "You're really shiny!"

          Yalathas chuckled quietly, "I guess I am. You must be Teddie."

          The bear grinned, giving a sparkling salute, "Right-o! Beary nice to meet you, Sensei-Number-Two!"

          Yalathas quirked an eyebrow, when behind him a second shadow rose up, peering crossly at the blonde.

          "You have a Sensei-Number-One already," Tirin said, looking for all the world like a bristling cat guarding its favorite toy. The eyes didn't help, "Back off."

          "Tirin, be nice," Rhysana chimed in from the back.

          The rogue glanced her way, folding his arms across his chest defensively as Teddie grinned, finding victory in her support.

          "Don't worry Tirin. You're still my favorite gloaming," Yalathas said, tone placating but honest.

          It worked, because Tirin brightened at the consolation. Literally, in this case.

          Rise came forward next, ignoring the argument with a sweet smile and polite bow, outwardly unflustered as she spoke, "Nice to meet you, Yalathas-san."

          She glanced back, gesturing with her hand and whispering, "Come on, you guys."

          "No, its fine. I understand that this is still a little unusual for everyone," Yu's counterpart said, but he gave her a grateful smile to show the effort was not unappreciated, "But thank you, Rise."

          The girl's shoulders stiffened, then relaxed, smiling growing warm, "You know, you're just like I imagined Senpai's counterpart would be.~"

          Yu ran a self-conscious hand down his arm.

          Yalathas reacted a bit more coolly, smiling, "I hope that means I've impressed."

          Rise giggled, "Don't worry, you have."

          Yukiko rose elegantly to her feet as the brunette finished, Chie following just behind with a bit more bounce in her step. Yalathas faced them, nodding to each in turn, "Yukiko and Chie, correct?"

          Both paused. Then,

          "Y-yeah!" Chie said, "Nice to finally meet in person!"

          "We've heard a lot about you," Yukiko said politely, bowing respectfully.

          "I'm sure you have," Yalathas replied, accepting, "Good things, I hope?"

          " . . . well, alright, maybe not a lot. Everyone's been really secretive," Yukiko amended, "But that's what makes a surprise a surprise, right?"

          "Right," was his response.

          "Okay . . ." Yu heard Kanji mumble right before striding around the sitting area to stand before Yalathas. He boldly stuck his hand out, and it was only his tense posture that betrayed his nervousness, "H-hey. Nice to meet ya n'shit!" he froze, "U-uh, I-I mean-"

          Yalathas laughed, but it was far removed from a mean one as he reached out and shook the boy's hand, "It's nice to meet you too, Kanji."

          Flustered, the boy drew back, mumbling and rubbing the back of his head as Rise nudged him in the side.

          Teddie came bouncing back to where Yu and Yosuke still sat, grabbing both by the arms and urgently pulling them forward, "C'mon, c'mon, you still have to say hello!"

          With nowhere else to go, Yu stood up and allowed himself to be hauled to the fore along with Yosuke, the rest of his friends parting to let them pass.

          Well, he better get his act together now, because Yalathas was right in front of him. He was right in front of him.

          Right in front of him.

          The man's smile was patient, gentle, and if he hadn't been wearing armor, Yu could have pretended he was looking into a mirror. Except this mirror breathed and blinked and spoke, "Hello."

          "Uh . . ." Yosuke fumbled for a moment before getting it together, putting on a friendly smile like he wasn't talking to his best friend's doppelganger. Or maybe that was helping him, who knows, "Hey! About time we got to meet you."

          "It is. I would have come sooner, but I had a few things to take care of beforehand," Yalathas said, shifting his gaze to the boy, "But its good to finally meet you too."

          Was it just Yu, or did his tone get softer there? His eyes too? What?

          Yalathas' head tilted just slightly to the left, studying him for a moment before commenting, "You really do look just like Yvir."

          Yosuke fidgeted awkwardly under the scrutiny, fiddling with his headphones as he murmured, "Uh, yeah . . . I guess."

          Yalathas chuckled, smile turning wistful, "Sorry, I'm embarrassing you, aren't I? Yvir used to do that exact same thing when he was uncomfortable, back when he walked on the ground with the rest of us."

          "I still do!" Yvir protested without any heat.

          "That's what he says," Yalathas spoke, playfully ignoring the sylph, "But he rarely follows through."

          That was when he extended a hand, not to Yosuke, but to Yu.

          "But we'll have plenty of time to talk about that later, won't we?" he said, smile soft and infinitely patient.

          He was letting him choose what to do, Yu realized. If he was still too uncomfortable, Yalathas wouldn't press this greeting. Yu knew beyond a doubt, because if the situation had been reversed, it was exactly what he would have done.

          It reminded Yu that even though his eyes were sterling silver, at the core Yalathas was the same as him. He _was_ him.

          And that unwearied understanding was what finally what gave Yu the courage to accept it. He'd removed his gauntlet beforehand, the skin of his palm surprisingly smooth, and quite warm to the touch. His grip was firm, but not tight or painful, with enough slack that Yu could pull away whenever he wanted.

          Yu smiled, faint but true, "Yes, I think we will."

          It was like a collective breath had been released in the lull that followed their exchange. Yalathas let go of his hand, his smile know bearing an edge of pleased contentment to it, and Yu felt he could understand it better now.

          He really did believe he was looking forward to those talks. Of sharing their stories, their experiences. How different were they? How similar? Someday soon, he hoped he'd find out.

          "So, uh . . ." Chie broke the stillness first, "Were you in Bailsborough the entire time?"

          "No, I was in Arvorod."

          That drew him some puzzled stares, Chie's brow furrowed as she asked, "Then how did you-?"

          "My doing," Yvir interjected, "I can place the entrance to this plane anywhere I want so long as its somewhere I've been before. And Yalathas always has my permission to enter."

          "Lucky. _We_ still have to ask," Tirin said, though it was more in play, like he already knew full well why he didn't have said permission.

          "That's because you like to steal my things when I'm not here," Yvir replied without pause, clarifying the previous why. Floating forward until he hovered beside Yalathas, he added, "Speaking of my door, would you believe that they found it on their own?"

          Yalathas blinked, surprised, "Really?"

          "Mhm. Xirskam can testify to it," the sylph finished, placing a hand on his hip.

          Yu shared a puzzled stare with Yosuke. What did they mean by that?

          The armored man faced Yu again, inquisitive, "Can you tell me what happened?"

          Oh, "W-well . . . I found it by accident. Was I not supposed to?"

          "Technically . . . no," Nyras cut in, crossing her arms, "Yvir's door exists on another plane as well. Most would have simply passed through it like it were not there."

          Oh . . .

          "Which is why its interesting that you didn't," Cahira said, leaning against her staff, one arm still casually looped around Ylvaria's.

          Rhysana leaned back against the wall, twiddling with a piece of her hair, "We know you didn't have any nasty intentions, but we would like some clarification on that little trick of yours.~"

          "Among other things," Ylvaria added with a smile.

          Ah . . . it begins.

          "So, your song was to stall until all of you were together to interrogate us?" Yu asked mildly, a hint of humor in his voice.

          "Basically~," Rhysana said, grinning.

          "C'mon, you really think we'd have a talk like this without _our_ leader here?" Korval inquired, taking up a seat on a set of drawer that seamlessly flowed into the wall.

          "No, I guess not," Yu agreed. Of course they'd want Yalathas present for this.

          "But, playtime's over now! Onto the juicy stuff!" Tirin hollered, looking quite delighted at the prospect of learning their secrets.

          Yu took a quick breath as he sat down again, preparing himself mentally. They had a lot to explain, as well as a lot to make their magical counterparts understand about their world. And now that they were all present, it seemed a little more daunting than before. He could almost feel the nervous tension being exuded by his friends, the hard fact that this was finally happening fully sinking in.

          Yalathas stood above them with Yvir at his side, and even though his smile was still patient, still kind, it didn't stop the nervous flutter in his stomach as he asked, "So . . . what exactly did you do that set Yvir off so much?"

          Yvir groaned, "Did you have to phrase it like that?"

          "Well, its true, isn't it?" he inquired, teasing.

          "Boys," Rhysana gave a sharp clap, ordering, "Let the children speak."

          A pensive silence followed, the champions waiting and the I.T scrambling for where to start.

          "Well . . . " Yu finally spoke, all eyes falling to him in expectant response. His voice suddenly sounded far too loud in the very quiet room, "We're going to have to go back a ways. There's a lot we have to explain."

          When no one spoke, he continued, "I guess to start with . . . you remember how we said there was no magic in our world?"

          "We do," Nyras said, gaze probing.

          "Well, that's true . . . mostly."

          "Mostly?" Yvir echoed, his unspoken prompt to explain very clear.

          "Last year, we all found out that magic _did_ exist, albeit its very different from what you use and it doesn't . . . actually exist on Earth. Our world," Yu clarified.

          "You found it existed on another," Nyras stated plainly, and at their startled looks, she added, "Tirin informed us that when you first spoke with him, you mentioned you already knew other worlds existed. For a world with no magic, I thought that was strange."

          " _And_ that's also where you're from, isn't it cub?" Tirin chimed in with a grin.

          Teddie squeaked in alarm, "H-huh?!"

          "'If we're not in my world and we're not in yours, then where are we, Sensei'," Tirin spoke in a perfect imitation of Teddie's words, anxious tremor and all, then tapped a finger to his temple, "Pays to have a good memory in my line of work."

          The blonde shuffled uncomfortably where he sat, eyes falling to the floor as he laced his fingers together tightly. He didn't speak. Yu and his friends didn't say anything either. It wasn't their place to talk about it.

          The champions exchanged looks, evidently realizing they'd brushed on something touchy.

          "Alright . . . moving on. How did you find this other world?" Yalathas asked, quietly and considerately steering the conversation back towards the previous topic.

          "Yeah," Yvir added, an eager gleam in his eye, "If there really is no magic on 'Earth', then it should have been impossible."

          "There was a lot going on behind the scenes that made it possible," Yu said, a touch of gratitude in his voice for not prying further, "But in the beginning, we sort of found it by accident."

          "How do ya find a whole world 'by accident'?" Korval asked, looking disbelieving.

          "Well, you can blame Yosuke for that," Chie said, sniffing.

          "Hey, Yu's head was stuck inside a t.v, how else was I supposed to react? And you were freaking out too!" Yosuke reminded her, tone pointed.

          "I was in control of the situation. You both pushed me in," Yu said, absolving himself any embarrassment of the situation at hand.

          "You had your head stuck in a 't.v'? Is that some kind of portal?" Tirin inquired, placing a finger against his chin.

          "Uh, right, you don't know what t.vs are," Yosuke mumbled.

          "I told you we'd have to explain," Yukiko whispered.

          "A t.v is an acronym for 'television', a system that can transmit images and sound on a screen for entertainment purposes," Naoto said, taking up the responsibility of explaining, "And, most certainly not a device used to travel to other worlds."

          " . . . technology?" Korval asked.

          "Technology."

          "But you fell into one anyway, regardless of its lack of mystical qualities," Nyras murmured, thoughtful.

          "Yeah, we did . . ." Chie started again, leaning back against the cushions with a far-away look, "Back then, we had no idea what was happening. We were in a store, and suddenly we just . . . weren't."

          "Where were you?" Rhysana inquired, leaning forward, eyes gleaming with curiosity.

          "It's . . . hard to explain," Yu said, taking a moment to think how best to phrase his next words before continuing, "The world we found . . . I guess the simplest way to describe it would be surreal. It wasn't a world like ours or even this one. It was a world made to reflect the innermost thoughts of humans."

          "Meaning it could change, I would assume rather sporadically," Nyras put out.

          "Mold, would be more accurate," Naoto replied, "It responded to the people who were inside, shaped itself to mimic their thoughts and emotions. And you're right, it was sporadic at times, which could make it very unpredictable."

          "Interesting . . ." the ranger murmured.

          "How did you get out? If it was as chaotic as you say, then it must not have been easy," Cahira questioned, hand on her hip and head tilted to the side.

          "Um, well . . ." Yosuke fumbled, looking uncertain if he should continue.

          Then, "I helped them get out."

          All eyes shifted to Teddie, who uncharacteristically squirmed under the attention. But he continued in spite of it, "You're . . . right. I am from that world. And back then, it used to be beary, beary dangerous for humans. So I helped them leave."

          "Ah, so you aren't human. Figured."

          Now everyone was looking at Yvir, eyes puzzled and questioning, at least on part of the I.T.

          Yvir shrugged nonchalantly, "This is my plane, remember? Part of that means I can sense the planar affiliation of those inside it, like if your human or not. And you were a bit different from the rest of your friends, Ted. I just didn't bringing it up because, you know, why bother?"

          "Why are you so uncomfortable, anyway?" Tirin spoke next, holding a hand up to gesture at the assembled group with an eyebrow quirked up in the bear's direction, "If you haven't noticed, half of us aren't human either."

          "But he comes from a world where the ruling majority _is_ human, Tirin. I imagine its a bit more difficult opening up about such things there," Yalathas put in, looking at the gloaming firmly but not unkindly. The other man raised both hands up in surrender, laying off.

          Yalathas shifted his gaze back to Teddie, asking gently, "You said this world of yours was dangerous. How so?"

          Bolstered under Yalathas' patient stare, the blonde went on a bit more boldly, "Well, because of the Shadows, of course! They could get really nasty, especially when the fog went away!"

          Naoto was already on it, having read the questions in their counterparts eyes, "Shadows are essentially splinters of human ego that took a corporal shape. They were the entities that populated that world, most of which were born from repressed emotions and negative inclinations. They were . . . quite dangerous."

          "No joke . . ." Rise memorized.

          "But they weren't magical beings? Not like here anyway," Ylvaria, lacing her hands demurely in front of her.

          "Kind of yes, kind of no?" Yosuke floundered, rubbing the back of his head and thinking, "I mean, they couldn't exactly make their own little pocket dimensions, anyway . . ."

          "Could roast ya if you weren't careful, though . . ." Kanji reflected.

          "Was the t.v magical? And how did no one notice t.vs could do that before?" Cahira questioned, looking puzzled.

          "Sort of," Yu said, "But you have to remember, we were sort of a special case. No one else can enter the t.v like we can. Before we fell inside, we had no idea anything like that existed. It was surprising, to say the very least."

          "You said the 't.v world' was one made to reflect human emotion and thought," Yvir stated, eyes all agleam with fascination, "Does that mean it was connected to yours? Your world is just made up of humans, right?"

          "Yeah to both. And they're connected pretty closely, actually," Yosuke commented.

          "And you could travel between the two with this 't.v'," Yvir stated, looking like he was making mental notes.

          "Mhm," Yukiko nodded.

          "Okay. All very interesting," Yvir crossed his arms, "But none of that explains how _you_ have magic yourselves."

          Ah, here it was.

          "It had to do with the t.v world, again," Yu said, settling himself in to explain, "We're still not entirely sure of all the details ourselves, but while we were there, we could summon a power that allowed us to fight the Shadows. That power was called a 'Persona'."

          "Persona?" Yalathas questioned. It sounded strange, coming from a man who looked and sounded so like him yet completely unknowing of what the word even meant.

          "A physical manifestation of our inner psyches," Naoto said, "Its what allowed us to go through the t.v in the first place, and to harness what comes as close to 'magic' as can exist in our world."

          The girl started a little when Yvir pointed at her suddenly, shouting, "So you _did_ have something!"

          "Calm down, _Sverhein_ ," Yalathas said, words rolling into an unknown language that sounded sweet to Yu's ears, lips turned up into an amused smile.

          Several of the champions chuckled at the outburst, and Yvir pointedly crossed his arms.

          " . . . moving on. You said your Persona were part of your inner psyche. Do you . . . perhaps mean that as an extension of your soul?" Nyras inquired, steering them back on track. Everyone was watching, closely now.

          "I guess you could look at it that way," Rise replied, looking thoughtful, "Our Personas are, well, _us_ in a way . . . huh, actually, that sounds a lot more mystical when its put like that."

          The group opposite them had gone quiet, contemplative. Then,

          "Is that true? The Personas are your souls?" Rhysana questioned, voice a touch more tentative than before.

          "To some extent, I suppose," Naoto said, shrugging, "Ordinarily, we could only use our Persona inside the t.v. Anywhere else would be met with failure. But . . ."

          "We think they're the reason we were able to do what we did before," Yukiko finished, "You know, with the paper."

          The Champions did not reply. They were looking amongst themselves now, talking quietly, but urgently, faces a blend of wonder, consternation, or flat-out disbelief. Yu shared a look with Yosuke, feeling a tinge of nervous anxiety crawl up his spine.

          "What'd we say now?" Kanji mumbled to them, not taking his eyes off the group.

          Yu could only shrug.

          Yalathas took a step forward, drawing all their concerned attention to him. His face was calm, but his eyes were a whirl of questions as he spoke, "All of this is true, correct. About the Personas?"

          Yu gave a hesitant nod, feeling small under his counterpart's silver gaze, "Y-yes. What-?"

          The man, in an uncharacteristic rush, cut him off, "How did you come by them? Did the world grant them to you? Or was there a trial involved?"

            "A trial?" Chie asked. She shifted where she sat, self-consciously tugging at the sleeves of her shirt, "Well, I guess you could say there was one."

          "Tell us more," Nyras said.

          Yu's friends remained silent. For this, it fell to him.

          "Do you remember what we said about Shadows being the splinters of human ego?" he questioned. Once he received their nods, he continued, "For my . . . most of us, the power of a Persona didn't become manifest until they . . . confronted and accepted a Shadow. Their Shadow."

          "Your repressed emotions," Nyras stated, putting two and two together and reading the subtext beneath, "The parts you try to ignore, if I'll hazard a guess."

          More silence.

          "Yeah, um . . . its not exactly something we like talking about," Yosuke said slowly, rubbing his wrist and looking profoundly uncomfortable.

          "Is it alright if we just move on?" Rise asked, twining her fingers together.

          Nyras pursed her lips, brow furrowing, but before she could speak, Rhysana spoke out without a hint of her usual levity, "Personal demons are personal for a reason, Nyras, as you well know. Leave them alone."

          Nyras frowned at that . . . but she took it to heart and let the matter drop, "Very well."

          "Pretty badass, gotta say," Korval added, injecting a little more cheer into the conversation with a crooked half-grin, "You're a lot more than just a pack of scruffy kids."

          Yosuke quirked an eyebrow, "Uh . . . thanks?"

          "They definitely are something special," Cahira said in agreement, eyes sparkling.

          At the curious (and somewhat flustered) gazes, Yalathas intervened, "Your power sounds very similar to something known as Mythic, or 'soul magic' here. Its not like other varieties of magic, and its one of the rarest and most powerful forms of all."

          . . . oh.

          "Magic like that can only be received by coming into contact with something far and above the norm, like being the distant descendent of a god. At that point, the magic comes straight from your very entity, or your 'soul', the strength of which surpasses even that of a bloodline," Yvir tacked on, wind stirring strongly around him as a passionate zeal began to spark in his eyes, "And even then, only after succeeding a trial that lets the magic take root and grow. Maybe you aren't descended from any gods, but your circumstances sound very similar, not to mention it explains a lot!"

          "And even then, the possibilities you've shown us with that test is . . . well, incredible!" Ylvaria said, beaming and clapping her hands.

          "How is it different from regular magic?" Chie asked.

          "Well, look at it this way," Yvir said, leaning over and extending both hands. As they watched, a current of air began to spin between his palms, gyrating so quickly it created visible ripples that swirled and fluctuated like a miniature tempest, "With my magic, I can create this. Mythic can create the same thing, except because the power is fueled by your soul, its much, much stronger. Its also a lot harder to generate, and even harder to control."

          The wind dissipated with a soft hiss, and he drew his hands back, "That's why what your doing is amazing! Especially for being so young."

          A stunned silence met his explanation.

          "Really . . . our Personas are on that level here?" Yosuke breathed, looking awed. Yu felt him. That was a lot to take in.

          "Ooh . . ." Teddie mumbled in wonder, stars in his eyes.

          "Well, our Personas are pretty powerful, I wouldn't kid ourselves with that. We've just," Rise twirled her hand before continuing, "Never been able to use it in the real world before."

          "Well, technically we still can't," Yukiko reminded them.

          "Whatever caused this change, it is vastly different from how we used it before," Naoto conceded, nodding.

          "How did you use it?" Nyras questioned.

          "We summoned them," Yu responded, "But here, its . . . well, we can't summon them per-say, but if what we're using really are our Personas, then this is the first time we've done it without having to."

          "There's a simple explanation for that," Yalathas said, hitching a hand against the hilt of his sword, "You're simply channeling Mythic the way its done here; through your physical forms. I can get why that come off as a little challenging. Its not easy to accomplish, and can be pretty taxing."

          "But that just means you have leeway!" Tirin said, leaning back and crossing a leg over the other, grinning, "And now that we know what we're dealing with, we can give you a run down of the basics on how to use it!"

          "A rundown?" Yu asked, curious.

          Rhysana winked, "Well, lets just say we know a bit about Mythic ourselves.~"

          "Wait, you have that stuff too!" Chie shouted.

          "A bit," Yalathas spoke then, and the I.T fell silent, turning their expectant attention to him, "We faced our own trials once, and were granted a small measure of power. But if even half of Yvir's rant was true, then ours isn't anywhere near as potentially powerful as yours."

          Yvir pressed his lips into a thin line, but didn't comment.

          "How could our Persona be stronger than you? We can't even use them properly out here!" Rise asked, looking genuinely disbelieving, and Yu couldn't fault her. After seeing the fighting capabilities of their counterparts firsthand, it was hard to imagine them stacking up in any way at all, let alone surpassing them.

          "Our Mythic can give us boosts in strength and vitality, or increase our natural capabilities to levels many would could call uncanny," Nyras explained, "But none of us can generate true soul magic, the sort of which that can create storms of fire or bend the properties of space itself. It is simply beyond our capability."

          "If it really worries you, though, I promise we make up for that in other ways," Tirin smiled, a trialing tendril of smoky shadow flitting around his fingers that drew most eyes towards him.

          "Quit showing off," Yvir reprimanded. Aife clicked his tongue, almost mimicking the rebuking tone perfectly.

          "You're just mad I beat you too it~," the rogue teased, eyes twinkling mischievously.

          Rhysana rolled her eyes, but took up the explanation herself, "Listen. You said your Persona were manifestations of your soul, and its the only thing that explains what you did at the inn. And if your souls are powerful enough to even cause those sparks with no training at all on how to use it, then sweetheart, I can't even imagine what it'll look like when you finally learn to channel it properly."

          "We should be able to give ya the basics," Korval added. Then, with a punch more gusto, yelled, "So you can bet your ass that means more trainin'!"

          "Oh, now we're talking!" Cahira was on board immediately.

          The I.T weren't really paying attention. Beside him, Yosuke murmured, "Wow . . ."

          "Yeah . . ." Chie mumbled, for once agreeing, "Who woulda thought we'd be able to use our Persona out in the real world one day."

          "Who would have thought we'd wind up in magical alternate reality where are other selves are all amazing superheroes?" Rise pointed out.

          "Good point."

          "But using them . . ." Yukiko whispered almost to herself, looking concerned, "Do you think we can actually do it?"

          "Who knows," Yu said, because if he was being honest, he had no idea how to go about this himself, "But we'll never learn if we don't try."

          "I wouldn't worry."

          Yu and the rest looked up at Yalathas, who was smiling, "I've heard you've done exceptionally well up until now. I think all you really need is a push in the right direction."

          "And you can bet we'll push hard!" Cahira vowed, grinning, all abuzz at the prospect of training with them, "We'll get those 'Persona' in top form in no time!"

          Ylvaria giggled, "Don't break them, Cahira, we still have long way to go before this journey's over."

          The monk waved at her, but her eyes sparkled all the same, "Yeah, I'll be careful."

          "One last question, if you will," Nyras interrupted, holding up a hand. Once everyone was looking, she lowered it and continued, "Why would you return to such a place? If true that such things were unheard of, and it was as dangerous as you say, what would prompt you to go back?"

          Ah . . . this was bound to come up, wasn't it?

          Yu glanced at his friends, then faced the champions, "Back when we first discovered this . . . was also around the time a series of murders took place in our home."

          "We found out that the killer was using the t.v to do it," Chie added, face solemn.

          "And we wanted to stop him," Yosuke said, voice tight.

          "They were using that other world to commit murder?" Rhysana asked, eyes widening.

          "Yes, they were. At least at first," Naoto said, "After the first two, they tricked another into kidnapping more victims so that person would take the fall instead."

          "I see . . ." Nyras said, "And you took it upon yourselves to solve this mystery?"

          "No one else knew what was happening, and we couldn't explain it to them without people panicking," Rise explained, eyes low, "And . . . a lot of us were personal victims too. We wanted to make sure it couldn't happen anymore."  

          The champions all shared a look with one another, and Yu could glean equal parts pity and respect in their expressions.

          "So, did you catch your culprit?" Yalathas questioned, leaning forward just so.

          Yu looked him in the eye, and something within the moon-touched silver seemed to already know what he was going to say. A gleam of understanding that resonated more deeply than Yu would have expected, "Yes. We did."

(*)

         

          Torchlight bounced off the slick, gleaming stone walls in luminous streaks of orange and amber, flickering and twisting like spectral hands from Hell itself. No natural sunlight would ever find its way down here, in the deepest pit of Eis-Moor, the Prison of Cold Stone.

          Here, on this level, there was only one prisoner.

          It had not been easy to get here. Without the help of her newfound 'allies', it would have come close to impossible. But between Lady Phaedra's skilled assassins, her enigmatic son, and a pinch of cursed decay from the Lady of The Rotten Wood, the guards were all . . . reasonably occupied.

          And allowed her to impinge unhindered.

          Screams echoed far distant, like the phantom cries of those who'd perished beneath the old, weary stone that pressed down upon their heads. She focused on the dripping water instead, for they produced a much lovelier sound; a somber, melancholy elegy to the damned and forgotten.

          She turned a corner, finding two of the prison's esteemed guardsman standing watch before a large, circular door of plated cold iron, set so deep into the ancient stone it seemed the shadows had laid claim to half of it, dragging it deep into a strange other-world.

          Both men lowered their glaives, releasing fearless war cries as they charge her.

          Words soundlessly flew from her lips, plucking a wand from her hip as the tip flickered to life with dark, mellifluous energy. The torchlight bounced off the men's glaives, the tempered steel flaring bright with sunset flame, boots pounding so loudly they swallowed the tinkling music of the water.

          Her wand went up, two beams of black energy flying free and striking the two men in the breast-plated chests. The stumbled, fumbled, glaives dropping to the stone with a clatter. Hands flew to throats, screams trapped behind lips that were withering, cracking, turning to ash beneath their hands.

          It was over in seconds. All that remained were two pairs of polished armor and two sets of sodden dust.

          The tinkling returned.

          Satisfied, she went to the door, reaching into the satchel tied to her belt and plucking a small pinch of grey dust from within. Once she stood before it, she brought the powder to her lips and gently blew it forward, like she were blowing a kiss to a far-off lover.

          The powder clung to the stone around the door, and the rock began to weather, like they saw the passing of a hundred storms in only a handful of seconds. Further and further they shrunk, until the door began to creak forward, foundation fading.

          There was a scream of metal and the ear-splitting crack of stone, and the door collapsed, crashing to the floor with a tremendous sound, like thunder rolling down the empty corridors.

          Beyond lay a dark, dark room, the flickering light of the torches falling slant through the archway and crawling up the back of the stone wall.

          Half a cot was illuminated, a pair of legs dressed in prison garb as well. The man felt no inclination to acknowledge her presence.

          "Have you died in here?" she asked, coming to stand at the threshold, "A pity if you have. Quite a lot of effort was made into reaching you."

          "There are easier ways to send a letter," was the dry response.

          "I'm sure you can understand why such a letter would not arrive," she replied, "But now that I have your attention . . . perhaps you'd like to hear what I have to say?"

          "Well, you did put 'so much effort' into it," the man said, tone mocking as he leaned back in his cot, "Must be one hell of an offer. One I can't refuse?"

          "Of course you may refuse it, if you prefer the drawl interior decorating and," she idly nudged a bowl of gruel with a foot, "The dining."

          The man huffed a laugh, "Yeah, guess it is pretty shit down here. But what have you got that's better?"

          "Oh, how about . . . a second chance."

          An eye opened, an eye as hot as a burning coal, as scintillating as a ruby, and as red a drop of freshly fallen blood, "Oh yeah?"

          The woman smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who dat? :O
> 
> I touched up on most of the subjects, more stuff pending. Hope it was worth the wait!
> 
> Translation Time:
> 
> Suo nimiu di, amicum. - It's been too long, friend.  
> Habet, Larethian's autem grati unar - Indeed, but with Larethian's grace, we meet again. (Traditional Elvish greeting)
> 
> Grot-Ean - Orc honorifc for someone worthy of great respect. Used for close friends. No actual translation. 
> 
> Sverhein - Sweetheart. <3


	25. The City of Beacon's Light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, I'm sick. And this chapter's a bit short. Whatevs.
> 
> Enjoy.

          The conversation had been brought to a close after that, the Champions deeming it enough information to build on and work with. What that meant for Yu and his friends in the future could only be guessed at, but if Korval and Cahira's scheming were anything to go by, it was looking painful.

          "Don't worry, they won't push too hard," Yalathas reassured him, noticing the faint looks of dread on most of the I.T's faces. Then, after a quiet moment of reflection, added, "Well, for the most part."

          "Not reassuring . . ." Yosuke said, frowning, "Trying to relearn how to fight properly is one thing, but also learning how to use our Personas out here is gonna be a whole other level of pain."

          "But you have to learn," Yalathas put in, "You lack the experience we have, true, but those Personas could help level the playing field for you. If they're as powerful as you say."

          “Oh yeah, they’re super strong!” Chie blustered, grinning, “Once we get this training off the ground, it’ll be awesome to show you!”

          “Will you be training with us now too, Yalathas-san?” Yukiko asked.

          “Of course!” Cahira answered for him, “That way we won’t have to divvy our attention so much!”

          Well, he can’t say he was surprised. But . . . the prospect was still a little daunting.

          “I hope that isn’t a problem,” Yalathas said, a general statement, but Yu noticed his eyes were focused on him. Oh, had he seen his nervousness?

          Yu shifted but nodding reassuringly, “It’s not a problem. Although,” he unwittingly glanced to the sword strapped to Yalathas’ side, “I’m not sure how I’ll stack up.”

          The man noticed and patted a hand against it, “Don’t worry. I’m told you have some skill already. We’ll just be working on polishing those skills.”

          “Are you a sword-fighter like Sensei?” Teddie inquired, eyes sparkling with curiosity.

          “I-”

          “Only one of the best!” Tirin interrupted, leaning against Yalathas’ shoulder, “Buuut, what else would you expect from _the_ greatest paladin in the land!”

          Ears perked up, fresh curiosity buzzing through the group as Rise asked, “Paladin?”

          “My occupation,” Yalathas informed, “To put it simply.”

          “Think of a knight, except one in service to a deity and capable of using divine magic,” Rhysana chipped in helpfully.

          Oh, he really was a holy knight!

          A soft collection of ‘oohs’ rose up from his friends, ending with a disbelieving question from Yosuke, “You serve a god?”

          “I do,” Yalathas said, nodding, “The Father-King of Humankind, Irun.”

          Yu was struck by a chord of familiarity at that, and he had to rerun the statement through his head again to make sure he had heard right. By the slightly perplexed expressions his friends were wearing, they’d been struck the same.

          “Irun?” he questioned, though he wasn’t exactly sure what he hoped to gain from it. As they'd come to learn, gods and goddesses were fairly commonplace in this world, as was their involvement and their power. He remembered that Ylvaria served a god of some kind too. But it . . . if the matter of counterparts held true with gods too, then . . .

          Eh, maybe he was just being silly . . . it couldn't be what he was thinking of.

          Could it?

          “Yes,” Yalathas said, a bemused eyebrow lifting at their reactions, “He’s one of the most well-known deities within the human pantheon. One known for his kindness to his followers, and his ruthlessness to those who’d harm the innocent and defenseless. Most humans pay patronage to him, even if they don’t personally serve him. Is there . . . something wrong with that?”

          Okay, so definitely just being silly, “Ah, no. He sounds nice.”

          Yalathas exchanged a quiet look with his own companions, most of who shrugged in reply, before turning back, “Well, I’m glad. Perhaps one day I can show you one of Irun's temples.”

          Well, at least he wasn’t pressing, “Erm, maybe.”

          "Don't go converting anyone now, Yalathas," Rhysana chided mischievously, tapping a lithe finger against his shoulder.

          Yalathas smiled, "Whatever converting happens is a completely unintentional side effect, I assure you."

          The sound of shuffling feet drew his attention to the door, where he saw with some surprise that Nyras and Korval were stepping out. Behind him, he heard Rise ask, "Where are you guys going?"

          "To retrieve our horses," Nyras replied, glancing back only sparingly.

          "Good idea," Yalathas said, failing to notice the perplexed expressions on the I.T's faces, "We need to head out soon, I told the Queen we'd be returning shortly."

          Nyras nodded, then left without so much as, in her own words, an elucidation. Also, 'heading out'?

          _Still_ not bothering to explain what was going on, Yalathas then turned to Tirin, "Tirin, is Xirskam finished?”

          The rogue waved a hand at him, “Oh, he’s been done for ages! Now we’re just waiting for the word to leave!”

          “Leave? Wait, what’s going on?” Chie asked, looking from one person to the next for the answer.

          Rhysana’s eyes twinkled with mischief, smiling with faux embarrassment, “Oh, my word, did we forget to mention? We’re going to Arvorod!”

          “Arvorod? One of the kingdoms you mentioned?" Yosuke asked.

          “A bit more narrow than that!" Rhysana said, swinging her arms around with a showman's extravagant flair, "We're going to the _capital_! And we’re going right now!”

          Everyone stared wordlessly at the bard.

          “Now? ‘Right now’, right now?” Yosuke asked after a moment, unbelieving and understandably cynical.

          “Right now, right now,” Cahira said, grinning, “You haven’t forgotten that Yvir can place his door anywhere already, have you?”

          “N-no, I haven’t, but what about our stuff?” he demanded, “It’s still in town!”

          “Oh, don’t worry about that. Xirskam moved it here for you,” Tirin chimed in, smiling, “Your things are right upstairs.~”

          Silence. Then,

          “He . . . touched our things?” Yukiko asked, looking a little disturbed.

          “Seriously?! You can’t just do that without people’s permission!” Chie yelled, looking miffed even as her face flushed.

          Tirin quirked an eyebrow as he pointed at himself, voice totally flat as he said “Rogue.”

          “T-that’s besides the point!” she shouted, face going redder.

          “Alright, calm down,” Rhysana said, holding up her hands and waving for silence, “Look, we were already going to Arvorod anyway. Would you rather walk there, or do this?”

          “Besides,” Yalathas added, smiling in quiet amusement, “Queen Edda has been looking forward to meeting the ones who’ve occupied so much of the Champions time. She's even personally asked for an audience with you.”

          _That_ came as a surprise.

          “The Queen wants to see us?” Yu asked, eyes wide.

          “How does she even know about us?” Naoto added, just as startled by the revelation.

          “Tiruviel told her, most likely,” Nyras informed them, “I promise you, she is one we can trust. And she is perfectly reasonable and pleasant in person. You have nothing to fear.’

          “That’s still a little . . . uh, none of us have ever met a queen before, have we?” Yosuke asked, looking a little floored.

          “No,” was the resounding response.

          “Is she pretty?” that was Teddie, "And single?"

          “She’s happily married,” Rhysana told him, “To her work.”

          “Aw . . .”

          "But what about trainin'?" Kanji asked, rubbing the back of his head, "Weren't we gonna . . . ?"

          "Remember, you all just got done training not that long ago," Ylvaria reminded them patiently, "And learning to use Mythic takes a lot of time and effort in the beginning to get the hang of. But we can worry about that tomorrow. For now, we have a Queen to meet!"

          "And it _is_ a bit rude to say no to the Queen," Yvir added with a small smile. He held up his hand, the tips of index and thumb only a small space apart, "Just a bit."

          "S-so, you're really serious? We're going to be meeting . . . the Queen?" Chie asked, still looking hesitant to believe it.

          Yalathas nodded, "Yes, you are. Don't worry, its as simple as introducing yourselves. Just like you did with us."

          "Yeah, because that wasn't intimidating at _all_ ," Yosuke mumbled sarcastically under his breath, shaking his head.

          "Well, it can't be any worse than that . . . I don't think," Yu said, trying (and possibly failing) to make it seem less off-putting. However, in his mind's eye he saw a powerful and stern figure seated upon a gilded throne, surrounded by a massive hall of stone set with pillared columns draped in regal ornamentation, just as imposing and demanding of respect. With a slight nod to himself, he added just as quietly, "Okay, maybe it can be."

          Yeah, he totally failed this time.

          "Oh, isn't there a dinner involved too?" Cahira added, brightening up a little as she placed a hand on her hip, "Or did I just let my imagination get the best of me while reading your letter?"

          "If your talking about feasts, that's not happening until the Grand Assembly," Yalathas answered, "And regardless, I specifically asked we keep our coming a little on the need-to-know until then."

          "Why would-?" Cahira fell silent, eyes flicking to the group of children seated across the way, "Oh, yeah. Right."

          "You'll survive," Yvir said, rolling his eyes, "Its not as if you're going to go hungry."

          "Hm, Ylvaria, is it just me, or is it a bit breezy in here?" Cahira asked, face perfectly smooth aside from the faint twitch of her lips.

          Ylvaria giggled, "Just a little."

          "Oh brother . . ." the sorcerer groaned, mildly annoyed. Aife chirped, wings rustling indignantly.

          Outside, a trumpeting whinny echoed through the windows, followed by a forceful stomping of hooves and loud, unhappy grunting.

          " _Grak_ , Bone, relax!" Korval shouted, sounding strained.

          Yvir sighed, floating over to the door, "Better go take care of that before Bone kicks a hole in something again."

          "He doesn't like it in here," Rhysana explained in passing to them as she followed the sylph.

          Tirin hopped up from his seat, idly stretching one arm behind his back as he chuckled, "Hehe, d'you think Bone'll leave another hoof mark on the wall?"

          "For Yvir's sake, I hope not," Yalathas told him. Looking back at Yu, he gestured to the open archway behind them, "Go grab your things. We'll be leaving here shortly."

          "Hey, Korval, have you been letting yourself go, cause Bone is kicking your ass!" Rhysana hollered from the doorway, grinning hugely and eyes gleaming with mirth and only a slight touch of smugness.

          " _Shut up!_ If you're so tough, come out here and try this for yourself!"

          "Oh, but my job's supposed to be giving you all support from safely afar!" the bard replied smoothly, laughter in her voice, "And how can I do that if I get up close and dirty?"

          "Come on, Korval, show the horse who's boss!" Cahira cheered from the window, keeping a steadying hand braced on Ylvaria's shoulder as the elf laughed into her hands.

          "Tryin'!"

          "Get him through the _door_ , Korval!" Yvir yelled, irritated and quite clearly done with whatever nonsense was going on outside.

          " _Tryin'!_ "

          Tirin laughed, leaning against the doorframe across from Rhysana, "I guess this is what humans mean when they say you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink!"

          Rhysana snorted, then covered it up behind a slim hand.

          "You should probably go while we get this sorted," Yalathas sighed, but Yu caught the glint of amusement shimmering brightly in his eyes as he walked away.

          Another round of neighing and angry shouting rose up outside, the horse's furious stomping picking up in speed. Honestly, he kinda wanted to stay and watch . . .

          "Hey!" Tirin waved a hand to get their attention, eyes twinkling deviously as he pointed up towards the ceiling, "There's windows upstairs too!"

          Well . . .

          He glanced at Yosuke, then quickly rose to his feet. His friends were already two steps ahead, but he knew they'd leave enough space for him. One unnamed perk of being the leader, though he'd never go so far out of his way to abuse it.

          Mostly.

          It was only when they were halfway up the stairs that he felt a, inquiring touch on his arm, and he glanced back to Yosuke with a puzzled stare, "Yes?"

          "Hey, um . . ." Yosuke looked behind to make sure no one was listening before continuing, "I know its not like it really matters, but why didn't you tell them you can use more than one Persona?"

          Yu pursed his lips together for a moment, thinking about the answer. He was silent for a long enough time that Yosuke started to fidget before he finally spoke, "Honestly, we're not even sure what we can do with one Persona right now, let alone more. And I'm not even sure if I can use more than one with the way either."

          "But why couldn't you? It's like your special power!" Yosuke said.

          "For now, let's just take this one step at a time," Yu replied, turning to face him in full, "According to Yalathas-san, this is difficult to accomplish on its own. Let's stick to mastering one before we throw more into the mix."

          Yosuke listened intently, nodding along, "Yeah, okay, I guess that does make sense. We don't really know what'll happen with this right now."

          "It wouldn't be the first time we've had to figure things out as we went along," Yu reminded him, "And this time, we've got a little bit of help."

          Yosuke smiled, chuckling slightly, "Yeah, if you can call that mess outside 'help'."

          Yu retuned it, "Well, I can't argue with you there. Now let's go, I want to watch the rest of it."

          "Same."

(*)

          It took Korval another five-ten minutes to wrangle the angry horse through the door, sweaty and in not that good a mood as most everyone else stood on the sidelines and watched (Yu and his friends included). And even then, it was only because Nyras stepped in towards the end to help the ailing half-orc, calming Bone down long enough for them to lead him through. It then took another five minutes  for the group to locate their things and grab them, shouldering packs and bags alike and sharing a few excited words over what to expect in Arvorod and their meeting with the Queen. It took much less time than he expected, honestly, since apparently Xirskam had already packed their belongings beforehand. He was surprisingly good at organizing storage space.

          Now, once again and in the same day no less, they stood before the mystical door that had led them here. Except they weren't going back to the quaint stone tavern in Bailsborough.

          "Come on, we can't stand around all day," Rhysana said as she stepped through, where most of the Champions were waiting, "The Queen's waiting!"

          Yeah, she was . . .

          Yu glanced back and Yvir and Yalathas, the only two Champions who remained on this side. They both nodded for them to continue, and for whatever it was worth, it was nice to know they weren't going in this alone.

          "Alright," he breathed, turning back to the open portal before them, "Let's go."

          He went first, already knowing his team would follow loyally behind. A slight tingle raced over his skin as he stepped through, clinging to his body like a skin-tight shroud before peeling away just as quickly.

          Then he was on the other side.

          Where he found himself was not the massive, intimidating throne room he had expected. It was kind of small actually, maybe twenty feet long and fifteen feet wide. The ceiling and walls were all mortared stone, with not even a window present. A massive redwood table dominated the center of the room, its legs carved to resemble the scaled appendages of a dragon, wooden talons curling into the fabric of the worn rug beneath it. Its edges showed much wear, the sharp notches of knives and the blunted dents of armored fists evidenced all along its worn edges, but it still held up as sturdy and strong as if it were newly made. Most of its surface was filled to the brim with unrolled maps, thick, leather-bound books, old scrolls, and candles that had seen much use, dried wax clinging to their sides and pooling into the tin holders they perched in. The walls, too, were filled with book and rolled up scrolls, the shelves and open cabinets taking up all the space and barely leaving even a scrap of stone bare. The smell of old parchment and ink filled the air headily, almost overwhelmingly so, Yu involuntarily scrunching his nose as it hit him all at once.

          The Champions stood around the table, and ahead he saw with a jolt of surprise that Tiruviel (in her human form) was present as well. With snap reflex, he nodded politely in her direction, to which she replied with a dignified tilt of her own head. But there was one figure he had not seen before. A figure who, upon hearing newcomers, looked up from the open map spread out before her and fixed them with eyes as blue and sharp as a frost-laden glacier. Locks of auburn hair tumbled free down her back, held in place only by a plain circlet of silver that wound neatly around her forehead. Her face was pale, cheeks dotted with numerous freckles and bearing a pocked line of scarred flesh along the right jawbone, not a great beauty by conventional standards. But her eyes continued to hold him, the wintry blue of them bright, dignified, and commanding respect. She wore armor of tempered steel, stark of any ornamentation save the azure crest emblazoned along the breastplate; three teardrops arranged in a circle, facing away from one another so their tapered ends faced inward, surrounding five other, smaller teardrops that overlapped together until they formed an almost flowery shape. A sword was at her side, a knife on her other, and a regal air that drew their eyes towards her as she stood straight and tall.

          Queen Edda.

          Yu noticed Rhysana covertly wave a hand at him, and he hurriedly bowed in respect. He felt the others do likewise, everyone on pins and needles as they waited to see where this would go. When he stood up again, he saw that she was observing them each in turn, practiced eyes picking them apart like a pickaxe to an ore vein.

          Then . . . she smiled, and the tension dissolved as she spoke in a voice that was cultured and strong, but not callous, "Well, I can see why this would warrant your attention, Champions of Kennebrecht."

          "Indeed, Your Majesty," Yalathas appeared between the group, stepping forward and giving a quick but respectful the woman's way, "Although, it may only be a symptom of a larger problem."

          It only took Yu a few moments to realize what they were talking about. The rifts that had been appearing all around the land. Possibly the same thing responsible for he and his friends displacement too.

          "Yes, it may," Edda said, glancing at the assembled faces around her, "Which is why I wish to speak to you all later. But first . . ." she refocused her attention on the I.T, "Tell me, you have been personal victims of this phenomenon, have you not? Tell me, what can you remember?"

          Yu tensed a little under her stare, hoping it wasn't too noticeable as he nodded, "Y-yes. But none of us remember what caused it, or how it happened. We just . . . ended up here. Your Majesty."

          He tacked that last part on at the last minute. He hoped she didn't notice.

          Edda nodded, "I see. Troubling . . ." she gnawed at her bottom lip, eyes growing hazy as she stared down at the map.

          Tiruviel quietly cleared her throat, golden gaze shifting to the group at the end of the table, "Since this your first time within the castle walls, allow me to be the one to inform you that it is only customary to give a name before the monarch in power."

          Yu wanted to slap himself.

          "A-ah, of course," he said, hastily turning back to the Queen as she (somewhat distractedly) looked up, brow furrowed. Bowing again, he said, "My name is Yu Narukami, Your Majesty."

          Everyone else quickly fell in line, giving their names in turn as they bowed and curtsied alike. The furrow between the Queen's brow lessened with each one until they at last fell quiet, where she finally spoke out, "And my greetings to you. Most would have no need to ask for my name, but given the circumstances surrounding you, you may know me as Queen Edda the Second, Firstborn of King Landear, Heir to the Throne Beside the Lake and Guardian of Beacon's Light."

          Yu's first thought was, _That was a mouthful._

          His second thought was, _Don't ever say that out loud._

          "Or, as her faithful subjects call her, Queen Edda," Tiruviel interjected with a slight smile, watching the woman with an amused glint in her eyes.

          The Queen nodded once at her, "That as well."

          With that, Edda looked to Yalathas, speaking clearly, "I take it these children are under your stewardship?"

          The paladin nodded, "Yes."

          "Apprenticed?" the Queen put that question out a bit more tentatively.

          "They are."

          "I see . . ." The woman seemed to mull the information in her head, before decisively shaking it and clapping her hands. At once, the door behind them opened, and all turned to see four strangers enter; two men, two women, but otherwise all wearing the same dark robes with only the crest Queen Edda had sewn into the front of the fabric right over their hearts. All four dropped to a knee in unison, heads bowed so low that their hoods completely obscured their faces.

          Even the champions seemed a little surprised by their entrance, Tirin going so far as to vocalize the general feeling, "Who are they?"

          "Four of my most trusted handmaids," The Queen said, gesturing for the four to rise. They did so, clasping their hands together in supplication as they awaited her orders, "They obey only me, and have served me ever since I was but a child. They can see to your new companions while you are otherwise occupied, and they can keep them out of the public eye."

          "Did you decide this beforehand?" Nyras asked, scrutinizing the four with a sharp and probing gaze.

          "I did," Queen Edda replied, "For if this phenomena is a portent of greater trouble, your aid will be needed, possibly to lands far distant. You can understand this action, I'm sure."

          "We can understand it, Your Majesty," Rhysana said, and while it may have been his imagination, he thought he heard a slight edge to her voice, "We just wish you'd have brought this up with us first."

          "If you are fearful of gossip, I can assure you it is impossible. My handmaids have all taken a vow of silence in both voice and written word. You can trust them, as you trust me," Queen Edda reassured them, "They will breathe no word of this to another being, living or dead. You have my personal vow to that as well."

          "The Queen does not wish harm upon your charges, Champions, as I'm sure you know. She would only entrust this to those worthy," Tiruviel said, eyes gleaming, "But to put your minds at ease, I will accompany them to their quarters while you speak with Her Majesty."

          Well, that was a little more reassuring, and by the way the tension left Yalathas' shoulders, he felt the same, "Thank you, Tiruviel."

          The dragon nodded his way before gracefully stepping around the table, stately and noble as she came to the group's side. He could feel the heat exuded through the folds of her beautiful dress, a sign of her inhuman nature, soothing and pleasant and just as warm as her voice as she spoke, "Well, shall we be off?"

          Yu glanced at the four, who still stood still and silent before the door, then the Champions, who watched with encouragingly eyes but otherwise did not speak out. Not with the Queen present.

          Which was why his next action might be a little-a lot-foolhardy as he stepped forward and spoke out, "With all due respect, Your Majesty, is it not possible for us to stay and listen?" He could feel everyone's shocked gazes burn against the back of his neck, and he sincerely hoped this wasn't too out of line, "This phenomena, the rifts . . . they're responsible for why me and my friends are here. Any knowledge about them could help us learn how to get home."

          The Queen studied him, and he tried to keep his breathing even as the silence dragged.

          Then, "While I do not doubt your integrity, I'm afraid this matter is not for those of your inexperience, regardless of involvement."

          "But-!"

          "No," the Queen did not raise her voice even a fraction, but the inflexibility of her tone was unquestionable, and Yu snapped his mouth closed, "As of this moment, you are as wyrmlings before a horde of full-fledged dragons. If you are even a fraction as skilled as the Champions were in years past, then perhaps one day you can stand by their side. But not now, for now you would simply be throwing your lives away, whether you understand the situation or not. And that is my final word on the subject."

          Yu bowed his head, understanding where she was coming from, but inwardly frustrated by how right she was. He knew they were inexperienced, but knowing how far they still had to travel before they could truly stand on their own and do something about their situation themselves left a bitterness in his mouth he did not want to swallow. Heh, he supposed he should have seen this coming.

          "Come," Tiruviel's soft voice led him back to the waking world, and he glanced at her as she gestured to the door.

          Releasing a pent up sigh, he nodded once to the Queen, then the Champions, only catching Yalathas' eye as he turned away. The paladin looked sympathetic, even slightly apologetic, but he did not speak out. Perhaps that was for the best at this point.

          The four took to surrounding them like some sort of creepily silent honor gaurd as they left the room behind, the door swinging closed with a click. Whatever the Champions would exchange with the Queen, they wouldn't hear it here.

          He felt a reassuring pat to his arm, and he glanced at Yosuke as they walked down the narrow corridor.

          "Hey, at least you tried," the boy whispered, and Yu could see the brown of his eyes swimming with frustration, "I wish they'd tell us more too."

          "Really took some balls to speak up like that, dude," Kanji told him, face filled with a renewed respect.

          "Though I guess that didn't matter to her, huh?" Rise whispered, looking disheartened just as much as anyone else.

          "They have to tell us something at some point, don't they?" Chie said, "I mean, we just got done spilling our guts out, it couldn't hurt to give back a little, you know?"

          "I'm sure they will," Tiruviel softly interjected, and they all fell silent to let her speak, "The Queen has always been a woman of action, a military leader just much as a political one. She saw your skill level in the way you carried yourself, and she only saw apprentices eager to involve themselves in things that would only end in wasted life. She's seen it happen more than once on the battlefield. She tries to avoid such fates as often as she can, so do not begrudge her for trying to spare yours."

          "Really?" Yukiko asked, a sad solemnity falling over her face.

          "Yes," the dragon replied.

          After a soft hush, Teddie spoke up, breaking the dismal atmosphere, "Its nice to see you again, Ms. Tiruviel."

          The dragon smiled wistfully, "And you, little one. I trust your journey has treated you well since our parting?"

          "Um, well . . ." Yosuke scratched the back of his head, not quite sure how to make small talk with a dragon, "For the most part."

          A flight of stairs came up on their left, and Tiruviel gestured to it, speaking to the handmaids this time, "May we take this route instead?"

          They stopped, glancing among themselves, silently conversing trough expression before turning back to the dragon and nodding. Grateful, Tiruviel gestured to the stairwell, and they had no choice but to follow her direction.

          Up they went, traveling into what felt like the heavens before they finally broached the end. Where they exited was another, much larger corridor, the ceiling soaring a good twenty-five feet over their head, the walls lined with flags of white and embroidered with the same teardrop symbol. Candelabras and cabinets also line the walls, at some points even a few intervening flower pots bursting with small, pale blue flowers. The corridor was otherwise empty of life.

          Except, perplexing, a faint, stirring breeze.

          "This way," she said, leading them down the corridor.

          It wasn't long before they began to understand the reason for taking them here. One sharp turn of a corner, and suddenly the left side wall was gone, replaced by a large space occupied only by pillars, leaving the rest of the space to open air and sky. Small marble balconies nested between every corinthian column, with a small bench and everything, perfect for sitting and admiring the view beyond.

          And what a view it was. Sunset had dominated the land, setting the sky alight with paintbrush strokes of oranges, pinks, and yellows. Below that, the amber light glittered like a fractured gemstone along the gently rocking waters of the massive lake they had once walked beside, its undulating waves cresting and falling and sending new fractals of light skittering over its surface. And closer still . . . was the city.

          Many buildings stretched along the curve of the cliff that overlooked the lake, the castle standing on it's very tip and separated by a large, fissured gap in the cliff face that was surmounted only by a large bridge, the white marble of which burned orange and red in the sun's fading rays. The light stretched long over the shingled rooftops, sending lines of deep shadows running through the contours of the city like streaks of ink, a colorful canvas of vivid proportions and life. Even from here, Yu could see lines of people shimmying to and fro from streets cobbled and smooth alike, smoke rising from chimneys and birds flying wild and free over the rooftops.

          He placed a hand on the marble railing separating him from a dizzying plunge, the stone cold beneath his fingers, but refreshing as he drank in another cool breeze laced with water and sunlight.

          "Welcome to Arvorod, my young companions," Tiruviel said, gazing proudly over the city that shared her domain, "The City of Beacon's Light."

          "Why is it called that?" he found himself asking, not taking his eyes off the rich scene before him.

          "It is called such because once, in a time long past, this city was a sanctuary for those who'd lost their homes in the war with the demons. A lighthouse for the lost and despondent. The very same place where the remaining kingdoms came together and ratified the treaty to stand as one and fight. The city where hope and guidance always springs eternal for those who seek it," he could feel Tiruviel's eye rest on him, as golden as the light that glittered across the lake, "And should you seek it, this city will also be a beacon for you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, Queen Edda, Tiruviel's back, and next time, we get into more mythic training. 
> 
> Promise things'll get a little more fun next chappie. ;)


	26. Giving Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeey. Looong pause, I know. Forgive me!
> 
> This is kinda short, I know. :(
> 
> I hope you all enjoy it anyway.

          Yu woke in a cold sweat, shivering and feeling the weight of needle-sharp anxiety churning heavily in his stomach. Flipping over into his back, he let himself sink into the comfortable mattress of his bed and focused on breathing deep, one breath in, the other out. It was only when the shaking subsided and the churning stopped that Yu ran a hand over his face, skin feeling clammy under his palm in the wake of his dream.

          Or maybe nightmare was a better word. He thought back, but for the life of him, he just could not remember what it had been about. All the same, it had left it's mark in the form of a deeply unsettling burden of dread.

          Breathing again, he sat up, knowing he wasn't going back to sleep again anytime soon, if at all. Looking around, he took stock of the three other beds in the room, whose occupants all remained undisturbed. After Tiruviel departed, they'd been taken to their rooms, ones they had to share. It was not exactly an issue, really, and the beds were incredibly comfortable compared to the cots from before. As Yu sat there, watching, he felt himself grow marginally calmer. Whatever had upset him in his nightmare, he could feel it's grip gradually slipping away.

          Still, a persistent little thread of trepidation clung to his heart. If he'd been home with the Dojimas, he would have made himself some hot milk and maybe walked around in the backyard for a little bit before returning to his room. He did not know if such amenities were available to him now, though.

           Hm . . . the balcony area they'd visited beforehand wasn't far from this room . . . perhaps he could make a quick run to it and get some much needed fresh air, then head back. That would surely help relax his nerves.

          He glanced over where his best friend lay, pondering for a few moments before ultimately deciding against waking him up. It wasn't fair to bother Yosuke at whatever hour this was when all that had occurred was a silly little nightmare. Better to just let him sleep and Yu could sort it out on his own.

          Stealthily creeping out of bed, he crept over to the door and grabbed the handle. It opened soundlessly, and with a quiet smile, Yu stepped out into the hall.

          Only to run right into two robed figures standing gaurd just outside. He jumped, but only slightly, recognizing the faces beneath the hoods as the two of the servants Queen Edda had assigned them. What surprised him more was to see them still up, at least together. When was the last time they slept?

          Both men stared down at him, and Yu swallowed a little as he realized just how tall they were. At least six and a half foot, if not more. Belatedly, he realized they may not be human, though that was less a surprise and more a reasonable assumption by this point.

          They made no move to shove him back inside, however, so . . . perhaps he could explain?

          "Um . . . my apologies," he said, hoping they understood him as he closed the door, "I just wanted to get some fresh air."

          He pointed down the hall, to where he remembered the balcony area was, "Just down there. I won't take long, I promise."

          Both men followed his finger, and whether they understood his words him to not, they seemed to at least understand what he was on about. With a look and a singular, shared nod, one made to stand in front of the door while the other came to Yu's side.

          Um . . . alright.

          The man was looking down at him, like he was waiting for Yu to move. With a tentative glance back at the door, Yu slowly asked, "So, its alright if I go?"

          Silence. Then, a slow nod.

          Yu felt his shoulders dip in relief, bowing respectfully, "Thank you."

          He turned around, keeping his feet light so as not to disturb any others who were sleeping. It took him a few moments to notice that the other man was following him.

          He glanced back at his 'guard', blinking but keeping his peace. Right, he should have expected this. Their task was, after all, to keep watch over them. To not instill any bad blood, he gave the hooded man a faint smile and nod, hoping it conveyed his appreciation. There was more silence for a few long seconds . . . then the man nodded in return, seeming to accept it.

          Yu carried on, trying not to let himself be too put off by the company. If only the man could talk, then it might have actually been enjoyable, a perfect chance to take his mind off things. As it was, with their 'vow of silence', a conversation seemed very unlikely.

          The walk only took a minute or two, with the soft, cool trickle of fresh air being the first thing to greet him in the hallway adjoining to the open causeway he'd seen. He and his companion rounded the marble corner, and Yu could just see the glimmer of stars between the smooth columns bordering the balustrade.

          As well as the four figures down the way.

          Yu paused when he caught sight of them, recognizing Cahira, Ylvaria, Yvir and his own counterpart Yalathas standing in a circle and looking like they were deep in discussion. He could just hear the muted echo of their voices in the silent corridor, but they were indistinct and hushed. Even if he did hear them, it was unlikely he'd understand them. If he and his friends weren't present, there was no need for them to speak in their foreign tongue.

          A moment later, Ylvaria and Cahira detached from the group, and Yu thought he glimpsed them conjoin hands as they departed down the opposite end of the hallway. But he was too far away to tell for sure.

          Yalathas and Yvir hadn't noticed him yet, eyes on the departing pair, heads tilted in such a way as to suggest they were whispering to each other. Yalathas turned his head to look at his companion more fully, still whispering, and Yvir laughed and pushed him away in a manner Yu could only describe as playful. The silver-eyed paladin laughed in return, and his arm came up, reaching for Yvir's waist-

          And then Yu was looking at the ground as something small yet remarkably heavy dropped onto his head.

          He couldn't stop the startled and slightly pained cry that escaped him, and the weight vanished a moment later. Looking up, he caught sight of Aife shooting down the hallway on his bright wings, landing on Yvir's shoulders and bringing to attention that the two most assuredly saw him now.

          Rubbing the back of his head to both ease the pain of Aife's landing as well as slight admonishment, Yu decided to bite the bullet and walk over to the duo.

          Yvir had an inquiring eyebrow cocked while Yalathas smiled at him patiently (but with a touch of amusement, Yu noticed as well), both men waiting for an explanation.

          "Um . . . good evening," Yu said, waving sheepishly, "Sorry, I was just coming out for a little fresh air. I wasn't trying to eavesdrop."

          "Specific denial noted," Yvir said, but his lips were turned up teasingly, thank god.

          "You're allowed to go where you please," Yalathas said. After a moment of reflection, he then added, "Well, mostly. Divistan."

          He nodded to the man behind Yu, who returned it with a small one of his own. Oh, was _that_ his name? It hadn't occurred to him to ask someone if they knew.

          Aife warbled tunefully, wings fluttering as he placed his forepaws on Yvir's head, eyes boring intently into Yu. He shifted uncomfortable, not quite sure what to make of the fae-dragon's stare. The sorcerer he perched on peered up, looking equally perplexed, "What is the matter with you, Aife? Did you accidently eat something Cahira made?"

          The small beast hissed irritably, then flapped over to Yu. He froze as the dragon landed back on his head, feeling his tiny claws prick at his scalp. What in the world did this dragon want from him?

          Yalathas glanced at his friend, who was giving the dragon an incredibly incredulous stare, when something flickered on in Yvir's eyes and he suddenly slammed his fist into his palm, "Oh, I think I get it! Yu, you didn't happen to have a nightmare, did you?"

          Yu started in shock, "How did you-?"

          "Aife is a type of fae that's attuned to the dream energy humanoids give off. Nightmares tend to make him a bit fussy over the people who have them. He's sort of like a dream gaurd-dog," Yvir explained.

          Yu blinked, "Really? That actually sounds really nice to have."

          "Believe me, it is," Yvir agreed, smiling as the dragon began preening Yu's hair, "Don't worry, he'll stop after a few minutes."

          He could feel the creature's purr reverberate through his skull, soothing and soft, and Yu smiled a little at Aife's attempt at comfort. It was sort of working, the uncomfortable knot of anxiety in his stomach loosening, and he appreciated that.

          "Would you like to talk about it?" Yalathas asked, tone gentle but not prodding.

          Yu shrugged, "Honestly, I don't even remember what it was about. But I'm sure it was nothing."

          "I'm sure, but it never hurts to offer," the paladin replied.

          Yu nodded gratefully, "Thank you."

          He glanced where he had seen Ylvaria and Cahira leave, weighing over whether or not asking about their conversation was worth it, when the corners of Yalathas' lips twitched up into a knowing smile, "Wondering what we were talking about?"

          Well, looks like there was no avoiding it now, "Um, well . . . sort of."

          Yvir glanced at his companion, then to Yu, then back again, face thoughtful, "It's not like it'd be bad to tell him. Honestly, I think we should."

          "I was thinking the same," Yalathas nodded before glancing at the figure standing behind Yu, "No objections, I presume?"

          Yu looked at his guard, hoping that the Queen hadn't ordered her secret police to keep his friends and himself in the dark and that for once he could learn something of value. To his immense relief, Divistan shook his head.

          He looked back to the pair, hoping his eagerness wasn't too obvious as he waited for them to speak.

          Yalathas gestured to one of the balconies, "Let's sit first. The view is very nice tonight."

          And he was right. Yu couldn't see the city as well as before, just the shadows of the buildings and the occasional spark of a lit torch. But the _sky_ . . . the sky was something to behold. Back on his world, the night had always seemed as drab as slate beneath the electric haze of city lights, reflecting only the tepid orange glow of world beneath it. Only the most persistent of stars could hope to shine there, and even then their lights were nothing but a faint, far away glimmer. In Inaba, with its clean mountain air and distance from the chaos he'd once called home, Yu had been treated to a much brighter, star-speckled sky that had looked impossibly vast to his inexperienced eyes.

          And it all paled in comparison to the sight he saw now.

          The sky was so much more than just a slab of ebony tossed with stars . . . here, he could see colors ranging from amethystine purple to deep azure to velvety black, whorls that blended and ran together like paint across a dark canvas. And the _stars_ . . . the stars in the sky were so many in number they were impossible to count, millions, _billions,_ all existing together in one vast space, overlapping and twining and twisting together in beautiful pandemonium! They gathered like great clouds of diamond dust upon a storm of colored darkness, changing every time he blinked, never still, never stopping, a brilliant disorder that took his breath away.

          This was his first time truly seeing the night sky of this world, he realized. It had been impossible in the Underdark, and on the surface, the chaos encountered had captured all of his attention. Yu wondered if once, long ago, the night sky of his world had looked just like this before it had been hidden behind a wall of light pollution, pure, undiluted chaos of the most radiant sort. He felt a pang of regret at the thought.

          "You weren't lying . . ." he breathed, eyes never leaving the sky, absorbing as much of it as he could.

          He could feel both Yvir's and Yalathas' amused gazes on his back, Yvir jokingly asking, "What, don't you have stars where you're from?"

          "Not like this," Yu said without thinking about it, still staring. It was a _really_ nice sky.

          He didn't see the puzzled glances the two shared, but he did hear it when they sat down, and finally tore his gaze away from the sight above to look at the duo. Without speaking, Yalathas gestured to the other end of the circular bench, and he politely did as he was asked.

          Out here, with the fresh air, the beautifully clear sky, and Aife's continuous kneading, Yu was beginning to feel much better. He hoped the coming conversation didn't upset that.

          Yvir spoke first, placing an ankle over his opposite leg, "So, you and the rest of your friends are probably starting to get really annoyed that no one's telling you anything, huh?"

           Yu pursed his lips and slowly glanced out over the balustrade, thinking for all of two seconds before nodding 'yes', "I know people think they're just protecting us that way, but whether we're told or not, we're still being affected by whatever's going on. We need answers."

          Yalathas gave an acquiescing nod, "I know. But the truth was, is none of us really knew what was going on ourselves. Truthfully . . ." he looked reluctant to say it, "We still don't."

          "But Queen Edda did have a little more information for us," Yvir added, "You remember what Tiruviel told us that day by Sedgeridge, right?"

          Yu nodded. He remembered it very well. It was hard to forget conversing with a dragon.

          "Queen Edda believes that the portals appearing around the lake are not isolated from each other. She told us that these were simply symptoms of a larger problem, one no person in living memory has seen or experienced before," Yalathas explained, "However, it may be that this event has taken place before."

          Yu sat up straighter, now alert, "Something like this has happened before?"

           Both nodded, the paladin continuing, "Tiruviel is a collector of many scrolls and books of ancient lore. One in particular spoke of a day when 'all boundaries ceased to be', and many excerpts involving portals was written alongside that story."

          "What does it mean by 'all boundaries cease to be?" Yu asked, eyebrows knitting together at the curious phrase.

          "It might have to with a weakening in the veil between the Planes, which would make logical sense for why all these portals keep appearing," Yvir said, "Its a pretty big 'might', though. No ones exactly sure how that would even happen, or why."

          "But you all think that's what's happening now?" Yu pressed, leaning forward in interest. Aife wavered on his head, but kept his balance, wings fluttering.

          "Perhaps. Unfortunately, like most old books, the passages were faded and frustratingly vague. We're lucky we were able to find anything at all," Yalathas said, leaning back and resting his head against the marble railing, "But what we did find was too similar to dismiss completely. If its true, then this phenomenon would explain how you and your friends all came to be here."

          Yu's eyes fell to the floor, thinking. An event that occurred long ago, that was happening again? Hm, very apocalyptic, that, and not at all ominous.       

          "Buuut, we're not completely out of luck!" Yu looked back up as Yvir spoke, the sylph wearing a prideful smile, "Because there might be someone out there who would know if this legend is accurate or not! Someone I know!"

          Yu blinked, surprised, "You know someone like that?"

          Yvir's smile broadened, "I sure do! And, uh, it might do to actually check in anyway, its been a while since I last visited."

          He lifted an eyebrow, curious, "Who?"

          "Easy, it's-" Yvir didn't get to finish, because that was the moment Aife decided his job was done and shot back to his master, claws tangling in the sorcerer's dark hair, " _Ah!_ Aife!"

          "Well, you did say he'd be done in a few minutes," Yalathas cheekily put in, smiling.

          "Oh, shut up," Yvir said, no heat behind it as he relocated Aife to his shoulder. With a half-smirk, he retorted, "He's still not as bad as the one dumb cat you found in Dresden."

          _Dumb cat?_ Yu thought, offended. There was no such thing.

          Yalathas pursed his lips, unamused, " _You_ startled _her_. The only dumb one in that situation was you."

          "Is this your way of saying a cat is smarter than me?" Yvir asked, crossing his arms.

          "No, only that you were the one in the wrong," Yalathas stated.

          "Cats don't start fights unless they feel threatened," Yu put in. He's not sure what his two cents will achieve, but for the sake of cats, he felt he had to speak up.

          Yalathas pointed a hand at him and looked at Yvir, as if daring him to speak up against such solid evidence. The sorcerer sighed and threw up a defeated hand, "You know what, whatever. There's no point trying."

          Aife hummed from his perch, and Yalathas' dropped his stoic expression to smile and laugh.

          As the two went on, Yu's eyes trailed back to the starry expanse overhead, pondering over his new knowledge. Overall, it wasn't much, like they said. But it was new, and offered a first step in solving the mystery before them. If nothing else, it was hope, and he looked forward to sharing that hope with his friends.

          "Excited for tomorrow?"

          Yu glanced to his counterpart, at first wondering what he was talking about when it came back to him; training. With a serious nod, he replied, "I am. Anything that can give us an advantage in this world is worth the effort."

          "That's the spirit!" Yalathas said, looking pleased. Then, with a more meaningful look, added, "But by that same token, it _is_ hard work. You should head back to bed."

          Yu gave an assenting nod at that. It was late, and he had to try to sleep if he wanted to be spry and appropriately energetic for tomorrow.

          "Thank you for talking with me," he said as he rose to his feet, grateful that despite the Queen's desire to keep them in the dark, the champions had offered them the information they wanted.

          "Of course. You shared so much with us, its only fair we give something back in return," Yalathas said as he, too, got up, Yvir just behind him, "Sleep well, tonight. You have along day tomorrow."

          "And try not to have any nightmares, unless you want this guy crawling into our bed," Yvir added teasingly, stroking Aife's chin. The dragon purred, eyes rolling closed in delight.

          Yu huffed a laugh, "I'll try not too. Good night, Yvir-san. Yalathas-san."

          They parted ways after that, Divistan falling in step behind him as Yu left.

          So, a 'day where all boundaries ceased to be', hm? It was curious. Potentially concerning, if it was actually true. But at the same time, Yu felt the heavy weight of uncertainty being lifted from his shoulders. At last, they had something to focus on rather than just blindly groping in the dark. A thread to cling to in search of the answers that had long eluded them.

          Yu gave on last parting glance to the beautiful, starlit scene above him before turning the corner completely, and felt that sleep wouldn't be so hard coming tonight after all.

(*)

          The mouth of the cave was a massive, yawning hole that descended into nothing but pitch black darkness, so large no less than ten elephants stacked atop one another could easily slip inside, the smell of marsh water, mold, and rot wafting up from within. Moss, thick, slimy, and slippery, coated the stone all around like a great throw rug, the turgid swamp water pooling in the basin just before the entrance sloshing along the embankment. Shallow grooves dotted the ground, filled with filmy water that smelled sour.

          It would suit her purpose just fine.

          With a wave of her hand, the moss and flotsam in one of the pools cleared away, leaving it as smooth and polished as crystal. The waters churned, roiling and twisting as color began to bleed across the surface, molding into shape as soon as it settled.

          The face of Lady Phaedra stared out from the newly created image, the drow's lips turned down into a tight, serious frown, "Have you arrived?"

          The woman nodded, "Yes, I have. Dismal as I would expect, but as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

          The drow sighed irritably, patience apparently quite thin today, "Have you _spoken_ with the beast?"

          "In due time," she replied sweetly. Cloak shifting, she withdrew a massive emerald as large as a human skull, surface flawless and sparkling radiantly in the gloom of the swamp, "Appeasement comes first, My Lady."

          Lady Phaedra tsked, "As you say. But do make it quick. I grow tired of entertaining that oafish bloodsucker. Such parlaying tricks our for those below my status."

          The woman smiled, "Lord Gethen is a man of peculiar tastes, but I must implore My Lady to keep him interested lest he . . . pursue other diversions. Diversions that may cause you an even greater headache."

          "Hmph," with that, the water faded back to its newfound clarity, and the woman turned back to her mission, emerald in hand and quite visible to any curious eye.

          She only had to wait for a handful of minutes before the ground beneath her began to tremble. Stringer and stronger they came, a sound like thunder accompanying every footfall that echoed from within the cave until _something_ came to halt just within the drapery of darkness.

          A single eye, as green as an acid lake and just as burning, peered out from the black, as large as a tower shield was tall. Then, a voice as old as the swamp boomed out from within, so powerful and deep it sent ripples cascading along the water, "So, you bring me quite the offering just to get my attention. Do tell, little witch, why do you come bearing such _lovely_ gifts?"

          The woman smiled, holding the emerald out so the beast could better see it, "Allow me to elucidate for you then. Sometime soon, as I'm sure you know, a great party will take place in human lands. An attendee of which, you know most personally. The one who guards the lake. The one who took your eye, as I recall."

          A green light rose up from the darkness, illuminating the shadows of fangs as long as a giant's glaive, sabers of ebony that gleamed most malignantly in the glow of thallium fire, "Aaaah, yes. For your sake, you best tell me your intentions to bringing her up, and pray that I like them."

          She bowed humbly, "Of course. I would not waste your time otherwise. But shall you listen, great one?"

          "Hmmm . . ." a great paw as massive as an small hill reached out the cave, claws as great as ironwood trucks plucking the emerald from her hand with a care most delicate. The eye examined the jewel with appraising inspection, then, with a satisfied snort that rustled her clothes, withdrew the jewel back into it's clutches, "For this trinket . . . you have earned the right to speak. Now speak."

          And she did, smiling all the while. For soon . . . soon, it would all finally fall into place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And yeah. About two more chapters before things start to pop off. 
> 
> I hope you're all ready. :)


	27. Practice Makes Pedestrian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! 
> 
> You there. 
> 
> HEY! There. 
> 
> HEY! You there! 
> 
> HEY! There.
> 
> Hey, you there. I've got a new one here. I want you to come here. (sit down!)
> 
> And read this thing I made. :D

          The following week was a blur of activity that more often than not left Yu bruised, tired, and sore.

          Training itself was a pleasure; Yalathas was very diligent about giving him pointers and correcting mistakes that left him open. Not to mention the paladin was a very fair fighter, who balanced his level with Yu's to provide a decent, but not overwhelming, challenge.

          In a matter of days, it already felt like he'd learned a great deal; his intuition felt even more honed, his reflexes were getting better and better, and he'd even picked up a few little tricks to help unbalance enemies that were larger than himself. The same could be said for all his friends, too.

          Of course, not everything could progress so smoothly, because as it turned out, channeling their personas the mythic way was actually _really fucking hard_.

          It wasn't as simple or as natural as it had been in the tv world. Without a conduit to focus his power, calling his persona to the fore was like pulling a disobedient horse through quicksand. Yu could feel it, like he'd felt it with the rune, but actually pulling it out and focusing that power through his actual physical body was proving a challenge. A very difficult, slow challenge that so far hadn't produced any results.

          He tried not to be discouraged by this. The champions had said it would be difficult, after all, and he couldn't expect perfection in such a short time. But to not even draw a spark from something that had been second nature to him once was . . . a little disheartening.

          "Focus!"

          Yu snapped back to the present just in time to throw up a hasty block with his sword as Yalathas came bearing down on him. Their swords met with a dulled ring of steel, and Yu was sent stumbling, right arm going numb at the force of the blow.

          Yalathas pressed his attack, and Yu sprang away to get some distance between him and his silver-eyed counterpart as he waited for feeling to return. The cellar that had been refurbished for training purposes was spacious enough without any foodstuffs or crates to get in the way, but he still had to be wary of backing himself into a corner.

          _At least I don't have to worry about running into anyone . . ._ Yu thought as he sidestepped another swipe.

          Yalathas was a very graceful and efficient fighter, Yu had picked up on that right away. As such, he had to think creatively in his counter attacks.

          Turning heel, he sprinted to the left, keeping his sword low and ready to swing at a moment's notice. Yalathas easily kept pace, his own sword up, tip glinting in the light of the wrought iron torches.

          It was an impressive blade, fashioned of crystal rather than steel, impossibly smooth and sharp with a clarity not even a diamond could hope to achieve. Every time light struck it, the rays would scatter inside the crystal and the blade would become iridescent with color, the hues shimmering and changing with every elegant turn and twist. Small, intricate runes were traced along the base of the blade right where it was thickest, trailing about halfway up the fuller before tapering into nothing. The runic hilt was similarly engraved, and Yu had no doubt this sword had magical qualities that would undoubtedly be impressive to behold.

          But he didn't need them right now.

          Yu only had so much room to run, so before he ran out of pace completely, he suddenly braced his foot against the stone and kicked back. By the time Yalathas had spun around to face him, Yu was blocking his way out, the other's back to the wall and leaving little room to move without risking a blow.

          Yu knew better by now to think he had the upper hand, however.

          Yalathas smirked a little, slipping easily and a little too comfortably into a defending stance, "Clever. You're getting better at using your environment to your advantage."

          Yu didn't answer, busy calculating where to strike that would do some damage and wouldn't compromise his safety. Yalathas was waiting for him to make the move first, he knew that. But if he could take away his sight for just a moment . . .

          Quick as lightning, Yu swung his sword down in a powerful arcing sweep. There was a brief flash of orange at his feet where the sword's tip struck, the tinny of iron on stone echoing in the quiet cellar and leaving a burning scar behind it, and a shower of sparks was sent flying in Yalathas' direction.

          Yalathas twisted his wrists so the flat of his sword was bared to Yu, the embers catching along the translucent crystal blade. However, it wasn't wide enough to stop them all, and Yalathas flinched his eyes shut and stepped back as several blistering sparks scattered across his face, heel striking the wall.

          Yu seized his chance, and charged.

          He thrust his sword out, aiming for the juncture beneath the other's armpit in what would have been a damaging blow had this been real. But for now, it may just be the strike that would turn this in his favor.

          And suddenly a flash of white lit his vision, and for a moment that slowed the world around him, Yu thought he saw a barely visible blur of light, like a rippling mirage, travel down Yalathas' limbs.

          And then the other man wasn't there. Faster than Yu would have thought possible for someone in armor, Yalathas dropped into a crouch, the edge of Yu's sword grazing against his cheek before the tip slammed jarringly against the wall. Yu felt the tremors all the way up his arms and vibrate in his teeth, and before he could recover, Yalathas had braced his foot against the wall and kicked off of it, slamming his shoulder into Yu's chest.

          He gasped, pain radiating from his sternum to his clavicle, struggling to breathe as he stumbled. Stars flitting in and out of vision, he got his sword up just as Yalathas came at him again. Spots of black char were peppered along Yalathas' face, the only evidence that remained of Yu's surprise attack as the other exchanged blow for graceful blow with Yu. Each powerful strike sapped at Yu's strength, a strength already limited by his hard, desperate pants as his lungs struggled to compensate.

          Then Yalathas swung in a sharp upward cut, blade catching hard on Yu's own and forcing his arms up, exposing his center. Without pause, Yalathas lashed out and struck him in the chest, and Yu was sent sprawling.

          _Damn it . . ._ he thought as he laid there, taking the time to breath as the session came to an end. But even though he'd lost, Yu felt a small flicker of victory as well. This was the closest he'd come to actually unbalancing his skilled counterpart. That was no small thing to sneeze at.

          "You're doing much better," Yalathas commented as he extended a hand. Yu accepted it, allowing himself to be hauled to his feet as the other man's voice took a more chiding tone, "However, you still aren't focusing on utilizing your mythic."

          Yu winced a little, both from his smarting chest and the subtle reminder that he still hadn't managed to bring out his power. Undoubtedly, it was the power Yalathas had used that had allowed him to react so inhumanly quick, countering before Yu could make heads or tails of what was happening. It showed such potential to him, the abilities he could use himself if he had it . . . and yet he still couldn't break the barrier stopping him. Reaching down, Yu distracted himself by picking up his sword as Yalathas went on, "I know its difficult, but the less you try, then the only outcome will be a stagnation of your power."

          Yu sighed, "I am trying. But using it out here, in the real world, is . . . a lot harder than I imagined it would be," a thought came to Yu, and he asked, "How do you use it? Perhaps if I had some frame of reference, I could understand it better."

          Yalathas pursed his lips thoughtfully, thumb running over the crested edge of his sword's cross-gaurd as he mulled Yu's question in his head, "Well, I guess the simplest way of describing it would be belief. Mythic does not work the way ordinary magic does. It is a creature's sheer force of will given power to alter the world around it. But you must first _believe_ you can alter that world, that the outcome of a fight can be determined by your own resolve. Truthfully I think your issue is more of a mental one than a physical one. You know this is not the world that gave your 'persona', as you call them, the power to manifest, and as such it is blocking their power from you. Perhaps think of it less as 'this' world and 'that' world and more as just another field of battle for you to master. "

          Yu nodded, listening intently. Hm, that made enough sense, he supposed. Still, learning to break that blockage was going to prove difficult.

          "Wisdom of a veteran?" Yu chanced a guess, sheathing his sword.

          "The power of persuasion is a great asset, young apprentice. Never forget," Yalathas replied in kind, lips twitching into a smile.

          Yu chuckled slightly at that, giving a playful bow, "Alright. I'll keep your noble words in mind."

          "And now you're just trying to butter me up," the other said, smiling a little more broadly as he prodded Yu in the shoulder to get him standing.

          He did so, still smiling even as he leaned back in mock disbelief, "Of course not! This is strictly a professional atmosphere, and we are professional people. I would never dare sully it. "

          "As you say! And as professional people, we never makes jokes, or have fun," Yalathas said, clapping his heels together in teasing formalness.

          "Indeed!"

          The two were both silent for a moment, until the stoic stillness was broken as they dissolved into amused chuckles. It was a little immature, and maybe a little weird to the outside eye, but Yu thought it was fantastic that someone shared his sense of humor.

          Yu found he quite liked it, this newfound easiness between them. At first, it had been a little weird, to be sure. But over time, Yu had come to learn that the man shared more with him than just his face, like cooking and crafting and being an all around great listener. And cats! Anyone who liked cats was okay in his book. A few days ago, Yalathas had even whisked him away to a sheltered portion of the bailey where several felines had made their home, snooping food from the kitchens and just in general being their glorious selves.

          They spent hours there before Cahira had found them and dragged them both back to the portion of the castle where they were supposed to be, all the while complaining about how Yalathas was supposed be the intelligent one. The man had just shrugged, all while sneaking a sly wink in Yu's direction when she wasn't looking. All in all, despite Nyras' rather displeased scowl, it had been a pretty good day.

          Not that he could necessarily fault the woman her disapproval. The Grand Assembly was happening soon, and as such, the castle had become monumentally more busy than usual. Putting themselves out in the open could prove very detrimental should the wrong pair of eyes happen to see them, to both his friends and the Champions. Better to stay hidden until something could be done about it. Which was why they were using cellars in place of the actual training grounds.

          "Well, are you willing to go another round? Or would you rather continue some of your other lessons?" Yalathas inquired, hands cupped over the pommel of his sword, tip braced against the ground.

          Yu frowned. On one hand, he could keep embarrassing himself in the training ring. On the other, he could . . . do some homework.

          Yes . . . homework.

          Perhaps the second biggest thing Nyras had imposed upon them all aside from expanding their fighting base was to learn the native language of Endrivan. Which in and of itself wasn't a bad idea, considering they were utterly lost otherwise. However, it was also pretty difficult. English had never been his favorite subject, and while he'd passed it just fine, he could recall many a sleepless night trying to conjugate a proper verb from one language to the other.

          Endrivan's language was very much the same. Even if they were only learning the alphabet right now.

          Most everyone had been less than enthused by the idea. Yosuke in particular had been very upset. But they couldn't exactly deny the wisdom behind Nyras' reasoning, and though it was a chore, they accepted it.

          Balancing that with trying to scrounge up more information on the ominous prophecy Yalathas and Yvir had shared with him a week ago ended up taking up much of the I.Ts nights, with unfortunately little progress on both ends. But he and his friends had that direction now, and they weren't about to lose it.

          But as for right now . . . hm, which one indeed?

          A loud rapping snapped both Yalathas' and Yu's attention to the heavy set wooden door, watching as it swung open a moment later.

          Cahira strode through the open doorway dragging a hapless Yvir with her, making a beeline for Yalathas, and Chie stepped through a moment later, brow furrowed as she followed the older woman. At Yu's questioning glance, she only shook her head and shrugged her shoulders, appearing clueless.

          "I have an idea!" Cahira announced, placing her hands on her hips and grinning ear to ear, releasing Yvir in the process.

          Yalathas stared at her, then glanced at his friend, who only shrugged, looking mildly annoyed, "I don't know. I was going to check in with Rhysana when she suddenly grabbed me."

          Yvir was more skilled with magic and mythic than his dagger, so he'd been given the task of overseeing their channeling progress. Which left Yosuke to train with Tirin, much to the boy's chagrin.

          A beat, then Yalathas returned his gaze to Cahira, gesturing for her to continue, "Elaborate . . ."

          Cahira's grin somehow got bigger, and he could swear he saw her eyes begin to sparkle, "Duels," she thumbed in Chie and Yu's direction before continuing, seeing the perplexed frown Yalathas was giving her, "See, these guys can only learn so much from us. And we can give them good instruction, yeah. But, I think they could learn far better by facing opponents more they're level. See what I'm getting at?"

          Oh, Yu certainly could see what she was getting at. Judging from the excitement gradually growing in Chie's eyes, she'd gotten the same.

          Duels.

          Yalathas placed a hand to his chin, thinking, "Hm. That's not a bad idea, Cahira. Trainees can learn a lot from their fellow students."

          "Exactly!" Cahira nodded strongly.

          "It might actually help draw out their Mythic as well. Two energies that share similar sources naturally resonate with each other, so that could cause synergy," Yvir commented, crossing his arms, Aife warbling from his shoulder. He looked at Cahira, "So, yeah, for once not a bad idea."

          "Oh hush! The only one who can say my ideas are bad is Ylvaria," Cahira said, flicking him on the nose.

          Aife snapped at her finger, but she snatched it back quick before his tiny teeth could sink into the flesh.

          "Sheesh, you're in a mood," Cahira said, looking miffed.

          "Rough night," Yvir replied, voice rather hushed as he busied himself scratching the space between Aife's horns.

          Cahira gave him a flat look, eyebrow cocked and frowning, a look Yvir pointedly ignored, "'Rough', huh?"

          Yvir didn't deign her with a response. Cahira then turned to Yalathas, who returned her stare with a level one of his own, and Yu got the distinct impression that the two were mentally trying to cow the other into submission. For some reason.

          "Um . . . Master Cahira."

          The woman turned at the sound of her name, only to see Chie practically dancing on her feet, looking fit to burst, "Are we really going to get to spar each other? For real?"

          Cahira glanced at the men, both of whom nodded consent, and she turned back with a triumphant grin on her face, "Oh, you bet! In fact, let's give it a little test run now, hm?"

          She looked Yu's way, and he knew his fate was sealed.

          Chie all but squealed before running over to him and grabbing him by the arm, pulling him to the center of the cellar "Come on, come on, it'll be just like back home!"

          Back home. He had a very strong feeling that this would not be like their sparring sessions out by the riverbed.

          But this was followed, and he noticed Yalathas, Yvir, and Cahira move to the wall where they could observe the training out of harm's way. He took a breath to steady his nerves, hand going to his sword hilt as Chie turned to face him.

          "Alright, same rules as always! No blood letting, and no foul play! First to yield or is unable to fight wins!" Cahira shouted, taking up a position on a stack of old boxes, using it as a podium of sorts. She lifted her arm up over her head, and as one, Chie and Yu both dropped into readied stances, the girl with her fists up and he with his sword bared at his side. There was a beat, and Yu smiled at her, feeling a familiar spark of adrenaline flash through his blood, "Good luck."

          Chie grinned back, a burning gleam in her eyes as she replied, "You too!"

          Cahira's arm dropped.

          " _Begin!_ "

          Chie shot at him, as fast as lightning, and Yu jumped to the left, barely dodging her first kick in time. She was aiming for his knees, weakly padded as they were, a blow which could easily take him down if he wasn't careful.

          Going at one of his friends with a sword in hand would have turned his stomach once. But after so many days of fighting himself, and with the protective charm in place, he had no trouble taking a swing at Chie's back.     

          But she was ready. Without pause, she ducked underneath, swerving like a snake as the blade sailed over her head, close enough her hair rustled. Still crouched, she lashed out hard and fast, heel aimed for his shin.

          Yu had been prepared for that, back stepping just in time, keeping light on his feet. Chie was very strong, and fast too boot. He's seen her strength plenty in their confrontations with Shadows, far worse enemies than he was. Yu would have to keep every sense open to her, or else suffer the consequences.

          Still . . . she wasn't the liquid grace of Yalathas, or the tempered yet calculated control of Cahira. She was like him . . . more polished and honed for a real fight now, but still rough around the edges. He had a far more real chance of victory against her than he did with his own counterpart.

          And that made him determined to try harder.

          Chie was side-strafing now, circling him like a predator, always keeping her front to him as she gauged him for weaknesses. He followed her every move, keeping his sword between himself and her, waiting. Twice, she feinted, stepping towards him quick before moving back, hoping to get a rise out of him, a mistake. Yu stood his ground every time, grey eyes never leaving her form.

          And, like he expected, she made the first real move, darting in for his exposed left side.

          He swung fast, and he felt contact as the tip grazed her side. But it wasn't enough to stop her, as she had moved just out of range of a full blow, enough to sweep in and strike him hard in the calf.

          His left leg crumpled, going to a knee, but he wasn't finished yet. Bringing his sword up, he blocked her incoming ax kick just in time, her heel catching against the flat of the blade. Before she could spring back, Yu shifted his weight and pushed up, forcing her leg up and throwing her out of balance, making her stumble and fall.

          "Whoa!" Chie cried a she went down, falling onto her back with a thud. However, using the weight of her momentum, she rolled back until her shoulders and hands were braced against the ground and pushed off of them, bouncing back to her feet expertly.

          That wasn't a new trick. He'd seen her do it before. But it didn't matter.

          He was on her.

          Chie had just enough time bring her forearms together as Yu swung at her, shielding her front from the attack but helpless as the blade slammed against her arms. She bit back a cry, sliding back on her feet as the sheer force of his swing drove her away.

          But Chie was as stubborn as she was strong, and he knew that would not stop her. Already, even as she dropped her undoubtedly bruised arms, the look in her eyes told Yu she was far from finished.

          So he kept coming, swinging and jabbing even as she danced between his strikes, keeping her tender arms out of harm's way. The more she focused on dodging, the less time she had to attack in return, and she would grow tired eventually. He just had to be patient.

          Another thrust, and Chie jumped to the right, moving fast but clearly growing impatient.

          Then, as if throwing all caution to the wind, she sprang at him. Chie kicked with all her might, a dangerous blow that could cripple him if he allowed it to connect.

          But Yu saw an opening, and went for it, lashing out with the intent to end this fight here and now.

          He could win this. _He could win this!_

          His sword and her shin were a hairs breadth from each other, when a sudden flash of white lit his vision. A blur of energy rippled in the air between him and his friend, and he could see Chie's equally shocked expression just beyond the rippling veil . . . before they were both suddenly and forcefully blown apart.

          Yu hit the ground hard, shoulder throbbing as it took the brunt of the fall. Darkness flickered at the corners of his eyes, threateningly close, but Yu was able to shake it away before it could take him to unconsciousness. Groaning, he pushed himself up on wobbly limbs, shaking his head to clear the ringing in his ears before looking to see what had happened.

          Chie was across from his, sitting up as well and looking rather dazed, scratching the back of her head as she tried to figure out what had just occurred. Bizarrely, though, he saw that her hair was sticking up like she's just rubbed a balloon against it, the strands gravitating like they had a mind of their own.

          _What . . . ?_

          "And tie!" Cahira shouted, though her voice sounded oddly far away.

          Yalathas was before him quicker than he would have thought possible, gazing at him with concern as he placed a stabilizing hand on Yu's shoulder, "Yu. Yu, are you alright?"

          "I, uh . . . think so?" he replied, feeling drained and sleepy, "What happened?"

          At that, Yalathas smiled slightly before turning to retrieve Yu's fallen sword, "Well, see for yourself."

          He held it out to him, and at first, Yu didn't know what he was talking about.

          Then he saw the ice travelling up the sword's right edge, smoking with frost as it cracked and sloughed away like dried mud, the fallen pieces melting upon impact with the stone.

          Yu stared. Then he stared some more. Then, with an almost timid slowness, he reached out and brushed his fingers against the cold frost that dusted the fuller of his blade, just above the actual shell. He could feel its coldness through his gloves.

          "Well, that's probably the most progress I've seen this whole week," Yvir commented, grinning smugly where he sat.

          "All they needed was a little time. Gods know _we_ did," Cahira said, helping a still stunned Chie to her feet.

          Yu's gaze fell back to Yalathas, "Was that . . . did we really . . . ?"

          "You did," Yalathas replied with a smile, "It might have only been a spark . . . but now we know its there for sure."

          Yu's shoulders sagged with relief, and before anyone could complain, he set his sword aside and allowed himself to fall back against the stone.

          He felt tired. Very tired. But the elation of his success kept him floating on cloud nine.

          He'd done it. _He'd done it._

          Now . . . if only he could remember _how_ exactly he'd done it, then he'd be golden.

          But there was time for that later.

          Closing his eyes, he reached inside and felt for the presence that had become as close as his own consciousness. He felt Izanagi stir, thrumming under his skin like a livewire, awake if still a little far away.

          Man . . . he could not wait to tell Yosuke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooooo tiiiiiired.
> 
> But I am soooo glad I finally got this done. Hope you enjoyed this, for what its worth. :)
> 
> Next time, the IT attends a party. Things are about to pop. :D


	28. The Grand Assembly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoa, another chapter so fast? Stop the fucking presses!
> 
> So, here's a question: how do you guys feel about a party? Do you like parties? Good.
> 
> Hope you enjoy this new installment of our heroes adventures! :)

          "That is a lot of people."

          Yosuke's words were met with a round of agreeing nods, all eyes drawn to the spectacle of the city below.

          Every rooftop was done up in the colors of Arvorod, slanted shingles painted in streaks of blue and white in patronage to their city while banners dyed in fiery hues were strung between the walls over the great streets. The noise was tremendous, enough that they could hear it clearly from their perch, every gust of wind carrying the sounds of shouting and singing and screaming as the citizens prepared themselves for the big day. Further down, along the untouched banks of the lakeshore outside the city proper, massive tents had been erected against the wind, draped in colors of all sorts and big enough to house hundreds of people. They could see the shadows of people flitting between the great pavilions, which teemed like an anthill, smoke continuously streaming into the sky from great cooking fires as food was prepared in droves, ready to feed the masses gathering in the city. The gatehouse had been opened as well, and they could see a seemingly never-ending procession of people walking across the massive bridge to the castle. Horse-drawn carriages rode between stately knights that walked afoot, a flock of squires and servants at their heel, and at each of the procession's head, one chosen knight strode ahead with a banner lifted high, each dyed a different color and bearing a unique sigil.

          Beyond the shadow of a doubt, the other kingdoms had finally arrived.

          "Of course!" Rhysana trilled as she seated herself on the marble banister, watching the parade with eager eyes, "The Grand Assembly happens only once every few years! Everyone turns out for it!"

          Yu nodded slowly, still taking everything in. The castle had been abuzz since the night before, never quite still or quiet as servants worked late into the night to prepare for the day. They'd all felt the energy brewing ever since the week's beginning. Now, it had reached a peak, and Yu himself felt the excitement in the air as if it were his own.

          "Does it always get so full?" Rise asked.

          "Usually. It'd be strange if it didn't," Rhysana replied, idly swinging a leg, "This marks a special day in all of Endrivan's history. Doubly so, now that the World Wound is closed."

          "Can we go down there?" Teddie asked, jumping up and down, "I wanna see the kings and queens up close! And the festival! And the _food!_ "

          Rhysana chuckled in amusement, but shook her head, "I get the feeling, believe me, but right now, it might be best to stay low. Especially since Yvir's gone and dragged half our party down to the city under the claim of 'fetching supplies'."

          She scrunched her fingers in the air twice, tone dubious but brushed with amusement.

          "Well, that kinda sucks," Chie commented, looking forlornly at all the tents by the lake, "It looks like it'd be lots of fun . . ."

          "Yeah. And with so many people, there's bound to be all sorts of interesting performers and shops open, too" Rise said, frowning.

          "Indeed. I would have liked to have browsed some of the curios," Naoto mumbled.

          The rest of the group sighed in unison. It really was quite disappointing . . .

          "Oh, stop with the long faces!" Rhysana admonished, "This festival lasts a whole week! Who said we were going to keep you cooped up in all that time?"

          Yu looked up at her, "Really?"

          "Of course, Nyras wouldn't have it without rules, and regulations, so take that with a small pinch of salt," Rhysana added, leaning back against the balustrade.

          Yu' s shoulders sagged. Ah, of course . . .

          "You say that with such disdain."

          Everyone turned around, eyes falling upon Nyras as the ranger walked over to them with surefooted steps. Rhysana smiled, "I mean it in an affectionate way, cross my heart.~"

          Nyras let a light chuckle slip as she turned her gaze to the gaggle crowding along the barrier, "So, enraptured by the revels, are we?"

          "Well, who wouldn't be?" Yosuke asked, gesturing to the crowds below, "Everyone's been talking about this for the past week!"

          "Indeed they have," Nyras agreed, stepping up to the ledge herself to peer beyond, "Every native of this country holds this occasion dear to their hearts. Unfortunate that the first day must be marred by storm clouds."

          Everyone's eyes glanced upward. Unlike the frivolity below, the sky was gray and dull, the clouds having amassed heavy in the night. Light and sporadic sprinkles had broken every now and again all morning, dampening the colors of the city and dimming it's glow.

          "Why's it bad?" Kanji asked, looking bemused, "Its just some rain."

          Nyras smiled fondly, "Korval would say the same. However, storms have always been a tiding of ill-fortune to the superstitious, and as this is the first Grand Assembly held since the World Wound's closing, unpleasant rumors have begun to spread."

          Yu frowned. It could all be hogwash . . . but given what they knew, it could also not be . . .

          "Do you believe it?" He asked.

          Nyras' answer was a neutral one, "I try not to jump to conclusions without solid evidence supporting it."

          "I wouldn't worry about it overmuch!" Rhysana chimed in, throwing her legs over to the opposite side of the barrier so she was facing inward, "The main ceremony is happening indoors; a welcoming feast for all the dignitaries who've arrived. They'll be food, dancing, singing, and gossip of all sorts!"

          "That sounds wonderful, but aren't we supposed to stay away from all that stuff?" Yosuke asked. He waved a hand over his face, "Cause, you know . . ."

          Rhysana grinned, "Oh, but that's where you've got it wrong! See, this little party happens to be the sort where the mystique of masks are popular to the gentry! And we've worked out a little loophole for you!"

          At this, everyone's faces brightened in excitement.

          "For real?" Chie asked, beaming, "We can go?"

          "So long as you adhere to a few rules we've set . . . yes, you can," Nyras said, "You've all put much hard work into your training, and you've improved exceptionally these past few days. Consider this a kind of, reward."

          "Yes!" Teddie cried, pumping his arms into the air.

          "Awesome!" Kanji exclaimed.

          Rise clapped her hands, delighted, "Oh, this is going to be so cool! Going to a ball in a fantasy world, its like every little girl's dream!"

          Yu placed a finger to his lips, thinking hard, "Hm, I wonder what mask I can wear?"

          "Dude, _that's_ what you're thinking about?" Yosuke asked, incredulous.

          "It's a masked ball, Yosuke. I have to impress," Yu replied. Honestly, it was a very simple answer in his opinion, and if masks were to be involved, he wanted his to be awesome.

          "Do you think feathers would be in, Yu-kun? Or something colorful?" Yukiko asked him, looking as if she was putting just as much thought into it as he was. A wise course of action.

          "Hold on, now, before you get _too_ involved in your costumes . . ." Rhysana held up her hands, "You should probably hear the rules, first."

          Everyone stilled, waiting.

          "Alright, first off!" Rhysana jumped down gracefully from the ledge, "You'll have to-"

          "Hey! There you are!"

          Rhysana flagged in her speech, rolling her eyes as she leaned to her left to look down the corridor. Everyone else followed her gaze, and saw that Korval was headed their way. He was out of his intimidating armor, instead donning a more relaxed leather jerkin and pair of boots that looked for more comfortable in Yu's opinion.

          "Huh, speaking of devils . . ." Rhysana murmured.

          Nyras turned to face the oncoming half-orc fully, smiling, "Did you need us for something, _lieling_?"

          Korval returned it with a toothy grin, "Fitting, if you'll believe it."

          "Wow, you got the runes done that quickly?" Rhysana asked, looking impressed.

          "Well, he's always been exceptionally skilled with a needle, Rhys, as you well know" Nyras said, turning to the other woman with a smile laced with teasing, "You do commission his services quite often, after all."

          Korval chuckled as Rhysana turned away in a pretend pout, arms crossed and huffing, "And _I_ thought you were too good for gabble, but I guess I was wrong. You're supposed to keep a customer's requests covert and need-to-know, Nyras!"

          "Ya make it sound like I run a spore ring, or somethin'," Korval grunted, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow.

          Meanwhile, all of this was just flying over their heads. Runes were not unknown to him by this point, but Yu would certainly like to know why exactly they pertained to the situation now. And fitting?

          Nyras saw the questions in their eyes, "There's a reason Rhysana told you not to delve too far into creating any outfits. Korval's been managing that for you."

          That was met with a brief and baffled silence until Yosuke piped in with a slight grimace, "Okay . . . _why_?"

          "Well, one, we had to make something simple in a week, and two, whatever was made, I'd have to fix it up with a rune anyway," Korval said, shrugging, "Better if I just take care of it on my own instead of sorting through eight different orders."

          "Besides, something simple stands out far less in a ball," Rhysana said, "The gentry has eyes on every other noble in the court, so dressing like you're highborn will just get you a target on your back. The squires and servants, on the other hand, get an essential free pass so long as they keep to themselves and do their jobs."

          "So . . . we're going as servants?" Chie questioned, looking measurably less excited than she was before.

          "It makes sense," Naoto spoke up, nodding her head, "As we are, we'd already attract enough attention with just our looks. Not standing out would be ideal."

          "I guess . . ." Rise sighed, "Man . . ."

          Beside her, Teddie slumped, "Aw . . ."

          "So much for that," Yu mumbled. He had really been looking forward to a fancy mask.

          "I am a little curious . . ." Naoto continued, turning her attention to Korval, "What was this about a rune?"

          "Ah, it ain't anythin' super fancy," Korval replied, "Its just a rune to help you understand the language. No offense, but you could all still use some work, and if you hung around speaking that weird language all the time, people are gonna notice."

          "Oh, so its like a translator-thingy?" Teddie asked, perking up in interest.

          "I guess?" Korval shrugged.

          "So is it real magic, then? That you sewed into the clothes?" Yukiko asked, looking interested.

          "Basically. My ma specialized in that sort of thing, and I picked it up from her," the half-orc replied, a note of pride in his voice.

          Kanji was staring, looking enthralled, "That is really cool . . ."

          Korval's grin grew bigger, and he reached out to give a firm pat the boy's shoulder, "Hey, stick around long enough, and I could show you the basics!"

          Kanji's eyes widened, practically glowing as he replied, " . . . that would be even cooler."

          "So, anyway!" Korval turned to them all, "You weren't doing anything important out here, right? I wanted to make sure everything fit before the feast tonight."

          Yu shook his head, "No, we were just watching the city. Nyras was telling us how people are nervous because of the clouds."

          At that, Korval grunted, "Bah, its just some rain. Come on, let's get this done with."

          He gestured for them to follow, just as another light sprinkle began.

          "So, did you make all the clothes yourself?" Rise asked, trying to make idle conversation as she walked with the rest, a cool, rain-scented breeze stirring her hair.

          "I had some help," Korval replied, "The royal tailor's a bit stiff, but he knows what he's doing. His husband happens to be an arcanist too, so he helped me get the inks I needed."

          There was a very long pause, most everyone pursing their lips and giving the half-orc a double take. The silence persisted long enough that the Champions even began to throw each other puzzled glances.

          Then, Yosuke quietly spoke up, " _His_ husband."

          Korval quirked an eyebrow, "Uh, yeah. Did I stutter or somethin'?"

          "Uh, well, I-I mean . . . it just kinda caught us off guard? I mean, wasn't that stuff illegal in places like this?" Yosuke went on, much to the confusion of the three adults present.

          "Illegal?" Rhysana echoed, "Hardly. Arvorod isn't like, say, Rothvigot. Anyone can marry anyone."

           Soft, wondering murmurs went up around Yu, who nodded along to her words. It did come as a slight surprise, , but he had to remind himself that his assumptions of how things worked socially were based on truths from a very different world, and it didn't really have a place here.

          Yosuke looked like he was having a particularly hard time wrapping his head around it, gnawing at his bottom lip as his eyes wandered to the marble pillars, "Huh . . . weird."

          Korval's eyes narrowed, turning in full to face him, "Why's it weird? They're just married."

          By now, everyone had stopped walking, Yosuke fidgeting in place as all eyes turned on him, running a hand through his hair as he parsed, other hand gesturing uselessly, "But they're . . . you know . . . guys."

          Out of the corner of his eye, Yu thought he saw Kanji roll his eyes.

          "Yeah. They're guys. So what?" Korval continued, not letting off, "Why are you so hung up on that, anyway? You practically flipped your lid when Tirin messed with you in the wagon, too."

          "H-hey, that was an invasion of personal space!" Yosuke snapped, arms going stiff at his sides as his face reddened.

          "He didn't even touch you."

          " _Mental_ space, then! Its just weird to me, okay!" Yosuke said, arms curling over his chest defensively, "A-and I'm not 'hung up' on it! I'm just not into that!"

          Korval held his hands up, looking well and truly fed up, "Who said you were? Gods, people have more important things to worry about these days! Sides, if anyone gets 'hung up' on anything around here about that sorta thing, it'd be race!" He suddenly thrust his arm in Nyras' direction, and in a fit of peak, proclaimed loudly and for all to hear, "If Nyras had been a man when we got together, people still woulda been more _hung up_ on the fact that I'm a half-orc!"

          . . . Complete, _complete_ silence followed.

          _Oh no,_ was the only thing Yu thought.

          He could only watch as the gears finally clicked in Korval's head, and the half-orc's face paled, voice bouncing in the very silent hall, "Oh . . . shit."

          Very slowly, Nyras pressed a finger to her temple and shook her head, inhaling strongly through her nose and breathing out through her mouth. Beside her, Rhysana's mouth fell open, stunned. Then her expression shifted, looking very upset as she stomped her foot against the ground and yelled, "Are you _serious?!_ _Agh!_ I owe Tirin _two_ platinum pieces now, because of that! Damn it, Korval, why do you have to be such a _moron!_ "

          Korval sputtered, "H-hey, I wasn't the one who told you to make any stupid bets!"

          "Well, forgive me for having faith that you would be a little bit more intelligent than that!"

          The IT, meanwhile, was still a little catatonic. Oh boy, this was going to fall apart faster than the King's Game, Yu could already tell.

          "U-uh . . . I-I . . ." Kanji was officially broken, face as red as a beet, so red Yu could imagine steam coming out of his ears courtesy of his totally fried brain.

          Naoto, on the other hand, took the initiative, despite her very, very bright face, "N-now wait, b-before anyone jumps to any conclusions! K-Korval-san was simply providing us an _example_ ," she put a lot of stress on that word, tone a little more high-pitched than normal, "To help us better understand the workings of this world! There is nothing more to it than that, regardless of wording! Right, Nyras-san?"

          She looked to her counterpart with hope, but instead all she got was a very weary sigh and a curt response, "No. Everyone's initial assumption was the . . . correct one."

          Behind him, he heard Rise trill in delight.

          "W-what? B-but-," In a very rare display of complete and total loss of control, Naoto flushed scarlet and stuttered, "Th-that couldn't possibly be-I mean-the chances of that are-" she pointed at herself suddenly, "H-how could that happen?! Kanji-kun doesn't even _like_ me in my world!"

          "Th-THAT AIN'T TRUE!"

          All eyes turned to Kanji, who went as white as a sheet under the attention. His jaw moved, struggling to find words and explain, but when his eyes locked with Naoto's startled stare, all courage seemed to desert him. Breaking out into a sweat, he gave a panicked lurch sideways and shouted, "I-I GOTTA GO!!"

          And then he was gone.

          "I-I must leave as well!" Naoto said just as suddenly, taking off the other way with long, and slightly panicked steps.

          There was a moment of quiet after the two departed (i.e fled), until Yu broke it with a soft, "Well, they're broken now. We'll never see them again."

          "Yeah . . ." Chie said slowly, nodding but looking completely thrown for a loop.

          Yosuke was looking back and forth where the two had ran, positively bewildered by what had just gone down, "Did that . . . really just happen?"

          Nyras sighed again, "Yes, it did. And it could have gone much better. And more tactfully."

          "Sorry . . ." Korval said, abashedly scratching the back of his head.

          Behind them, Rhysana was still muttering to herself as she shifted through the contents of her purse.

          "So, is it true?" Rise piped up, clapping her hands together and hardly looking surprised by this development, "You two are totally together in this world?"

          "They're married," Rhysana called out, and both Nyras and Korval shot her a stern look which the bard summarily ignored.

          Mouths dropped open, even as a delighted Rise squealed, "Aaaah, _yes!_ One down, two to go!"

          "No way!" Teddie balked, hands pressed to his cheeks dramatically, "Nyras-chan and Korval are scoring?! The scandal!"

          "Oh, shut up," Korval growled, and the blonde clapped his hands over his mouth.

          "Wow . . ." Yosuke mumbled, looking winded, "Who would have thought that could happen . . ."

          "Up yours," Korval snapped, pointing a green finger accusingly at him, "This is partly your fault, too."

          Yosuke pursed his lips, but decided against arguing with the clearly displeased half-orc.

          "Wait, so . . . Nyras-san and Korval-san are together here, but Naoto-kun and Kanji-kun aren't . . ." Yukiko mused to herself. Looking up, she added, "Is this a foreshadow of the future, I wonder?"

          "I would not call it such," Nyras said, "But next time you see them, do try not to pressure them into anything."

          "Uh . . . yeah . . . if we ever see them again," Yosuke said.

          "Never again," Yu replied. Of this, he was certain. For all his efforts to keep the team from falling apart, he had failed, and now must suffer the consequences.

          "So . . . you two are the only ones, right?" Chie asked suddenly, shifting from foot to foot uncertainly, "I mean, like . . . romantically? Wow, I never thought I'd say that . . ."

          All three Champions froze.

          "Ha, so there _is_ more!" Rise shouted, jumping on them and pointing with a demanding finger, "Spill!"

          Yu perked up a little. This was new territory for him. He knew of Nyras and Korval (may the others never find out), but he hadn't actually considered the possibility of anyone else being hitched . . . huh . . .

          He had to admit, he was a little curious.

          "Uh, do we really wanna know?" Yosuke asked, looking wary.

          "You? Probably not," Korval grunted.

          "And just what is that-?!"

          Before Yosuke could finish, Nyras stepped between them with a sharp and commanding, "Enough! Two distressed children is all I wish to deal with today! There will be no more of this!"

          Everyone shuffled awkwardly where they stood, admonished to silence. Nyras made herself pretty damn clear . . . she did not want to talk about this anymore, and she didn't want anyone _else_ talking about this anymore.

          Korval, who was staring after where Kanji had run, frowned, "Damn . . . I still need to get them fitted . . ."

(*)

          Night descended upon them quickly, and given how awkward the rest of the day had been after the mess that morning, Yu was quite relieved. Rise, Teddie and Yukiko had done _nothing_   except debate who else could possibly be together, Yosuke, Chie and himself kept trading awkward glances with each other while they did that, and Kanji and Naoto had flat out disappeared.

          He'd had quite enough of it. So when the time came for the feast's preparation, he was more than happy to don the suit he'd been given and busy his mind with other things.

          It was a nice suit, even if it was supposedly fit for a someone of lesser birth. It was comprised of a long-sleeved white under shirt that was surprisingly comfortable to wear, along with a well-tailored blue waistcoat over that. The material was smooth and decently thick to supply warmth, the small wooden buttons lacquered with gold dye. Black pants fit snug around his waist via ties, and the boots were elegantly simple, laced tight up the sides. To accompany it was a simple black mask with a gold trim to cover the upper portion of his face, which would serve him well later.

          There would be many others dressed similarly to him, enough so that no one would believe him to be a noble. Realistically, it did make the most sense to keep anyone from noticing them at the party, and while maybe he wouldn't get to dress up in any fancy attire with fancy masks, at least he'd get to see what passed for fun amongst nobles and kings.

          It wasn't all bad, though. They were supposed to act the part of young squires in service to some of the knights of the Queen's Guard, and as such, the rule was to be respectful, be polite, and be courteous. And always bow. _Always_ bow. But other than that, they would have free reign of the place.

          The ballroom itself was massive, at least the size of their high school soccer field in length and width. Every surface was varnished with black, gold, and blue, sparkling brightly under the heavy trio of chandeliers hanging from thick cords on the ceiling. Each curved arm was cast with bronze, sapphire and diamond pendalogues tinkling along their lengths as the heavy candles shed their light on the floor below, flickering within the petals of their flowery glass cups. The entryway was a pair of double doors that stood open and bare, elevated on a balcony with duel grand staircases twining down on each side to the floor below, the better for the gentry to make an entrance, he supposed. Two guards flanked the doors, dressed in shining armor and carrying spears, the emblem of the teardrops emblazoned across their breastplates. Other such guards stood at intervals throughout the hall, there to offer security for the assembled nobles.

          Most of the ballroom floor was bare, leaving space for the party-goers to dance and make merry. However, two long tables had been set along each wall, the places where the nobles, honored knights, and squires would sit once the feast proper was underway. As of right then, only cutlery was present. On the right wall, a large glass causeway opened out to a lovely terrace with arching, ivy-covered pillars and numerous plants and benches, all carefully maintained and groomed to perfection for this night. On the left wall, tall and narrow windows were lined up all the way down the ballroom, affording a clear view of the city and the cloud-covered sky, and between each a flag had been hung, eight in all. One he recognized as Arvorod's, done up in blue and gold with the teardrop emblem sewn into the fine silk, the first thing you saw when you entered the doors. The other seven all fell in line behind it; the purple-black boar of Steinhalten, the red-gold winged serpent of Rothvigot, the green-brown oak of Riftvale, the yellow-white lion of Stentlant, the gray-ice blue crescent moon of Kolgore, the green-white knight of Fessix, and the silver-black tower of Kennebrecht. Already, numerous people dressed in beautiful finery of all sorts meandered about the ballroom floor, some wearing masks, others going without, talking and laughing over cups of honeyed wine. None even spared him a glance. Other squires dutifully followed their lords and masters, while servants flitted between the attendees with ease, offering platters of luscious smelling h'orderves before whisking them away elsewhere. All the while, more people filtered in, the portly Master of Ceremonies dutifully ringing out each and every name with vigor. Which for once he could understand, courtesy of the small rune sewn under the hem of his collar. It was strange at first, being able to listen to a conversation and not be completely lost on its subject. It was all clear to him, and Yu found he enjoyed that new freedom immensely.

          On the opposite end of the ballroom, far from where he stood, a slightly curved three-tiered row of cushioned benches sat. The highest bench, overlooking the entire hall, was reserved for the kings and queens, the banners of each hung below every seat. The row below that was the place where the Champions would be seated, and the final row was for the honored guests selected by the royals themselves. All the seats were empty, however, as none had yet to make an appearance, which struck Yu as odd. But then, it was still very early yet.

          "Seen anything interesting?"

          Yu looked to his left as Yosuke came to stand beside him, watching as the other boy fiddled with the placement of his mask.

          "Well, that would depend on your definition of interesting," Yu replied, "Because right now, I think its all interesting."

          "You got me there," evidently giving up, the other boy let his hands drop as a more mischievous smile came to his face, "Hey, did you see Kanji and Naoto earlier?"

          He had. Whether on some sense of duty or they were coercioned into doing so, both of them had reappeared as people filtered in, and were now avoiding each other like the _plague_. Rise was trying to get them to talk, bless her heart, but he already knew it was not going to happen tonight. If ever.

          "Man, I still can't believe that Nyras and Korval are married in this world! Gotta wonder how that happened," Yosuke went on, musing thoughtfully.

          Yu shrugged, "Honestly? Who knows. Perhaps one day we can ask."

          Yosuke snorted, "Yeah, that's gonna be one hell of a story, I bet."

          Both boys lapsed into silence as another name was called, watching as a regally dressed couple descended the stairs.

          "I wonder where the kings and queens are?" Yosuke wondered, "And our counterparts. I thought they'd be here before anyone else showed up."

          "The night's still young," Yu reminded him, taking a small cucumber sandwich as it was offered to him by a young serving girl. He nodded his thanks, but she was already moving away. After a shrug, he popped it into his mouth, the finely cut vegetables crunching juicily between his teeth.

          That was when a trumpet sounded over the entire hall, and all present fell silent.

          The Master of Ceremonies cleared his throat, standing to attention as he then bellowed out, jowls shaking, "And now, presenting to you-"

          The guards all stood at attention, and as one the crowd parted like a sea. At the same time, both Rise and Teddie suddenly popped up beside both of them, faces peaked with interest and excitement.

          "They're coming, aren't they?" Rise whispered excitedly, brushing a hand almost self-consciously along the body of her skirt.

          "Shh!" Yosuke hushed her, but he was unable to tear his eyes away from the stairs and the portly man went on.

          "Firstborn of Landear, Heir to the Throne Beside the Lake and Guardian of Beacon's Light; Your royal majesty, Queen Edda the Second!"

          And the Queen appeared not moments after her name was called. She was not wearing a ball gown, but instead an excellent silk brocade of blue with golden trim, the tear symbol of her city sewn over the chest with a silver scabbard strapped to her side. A crown of wrought gold was perched upon her head, an icy sapphire as bright as her eyes set at its heart between two curled tines, and she looked down with the noble bearing one would expect of a warrior queen.

          Everyone clapped loudly as the woman descended the stairs, never ceasing even as the Master continued.

          "And accompanying Our Queen, the Gold Heart of Arvorod, ancient protector of the lake and her people, daughter of the great wyrm Sylandria; Tiruviel!"

          The dragon clad in the beautiful shape of a woman came next, dressed in her finery of sun-spun gold and (ironically) a mask resembling a dragon's head, and the applauding grew louder. Yu heard several of the gathered whisper, but they were too quiet to catch.

          "Presenting next: Their royal majesties of Steinhalten, King Adalbert the Third, Slayer of the White Demon, and his Queen, the royal Elena of Edlewood!"

          Next came two new faces, and Yu was immediately drawn in with curiosity; one was a man of rugged make, his face set into a stony scowl as he surveyed the room before him. His hair was black and silver and incredibly long, fashioned into a tight braid that coiled around his neck like a snake, just over the purple half-cape he wore over his broad shoulders. A black chainmail shirt hung loosely underneath it, a wickedly curved axe swinging from the supple leather belt around his waist. A black eyepatch was tied over one eye, heavy iron crown settled upon his head, free of any real adornments save the small onyxs embedded into the tips of each tine. His heavy black beard was trimmed neatly, well groomed even though he looked as if he wished he were anywhere else but here. Beside him stood a waifish woman that was as petite as she was pretty, looking many years younger than her grizzled husband. Her dark hair was pulled up in a plaited braid, a multilayered dress of black and purple silk hugging her small frame, swishing like gossamer with every step he took. She had a hand over her husband's arm, whispering to him softly as she smiled sweetly to the people below.

          "Wow, how old is he compared to her?" Rise questioned, looking a little grossed out.

          "I'm thinking you shouldn't ask," Yosuke said.

          "Now presenting-" the Master continued, and they fell silent, "Their royal majesties of Rothvigot, King Friedrich the First, Pontiff of the Chantry of Ardella, and Queen Gisela! Accompanying, the brother to the Queen, First Hand of their majesties and protector of the crown, Lord Geroff Stannis!"

          The trio that emerged was about what he'd expected. The King of Rothvigot was older, head balding and touched with wrinkles, but his face was kinder than the last one's had been. His heavy robes and cloak were lined with white fur, and a large adornment of gold hung from his neck, the image of a serpent emblazoned in red over its surface. The Queen was younger, but not by much, braided brown hair touched with grey. Her features were as sharp as a razor, with a narrow chin and high cheekbones, a large crystal diadem encircling her brow. Her golden corset had rubies sewn along its collar, droplets of blood along her fair neck, and the scarlet cloak she wore was clasped tight to her throat by a pendant of silver. Flanking her as close as her own shadow was a man who shared her features, brown-haired and sharp of face. He was dressed in resplendent armor of gold, pauldrons flaring out into the image of open wings, gauntleted hand pressed over the scabbard of his sword. He watched everyone closely, eyes flitting from one face to the next as the king and queen began to descend the steps.

          "Yeesh, he looks paranoid," Yosuke commented softly. Yu nodded.

          "Now presenting: Her royal majesty of the Green Wood of Riftvale, wisest in the land, Queen Ida!"

          A much older woman, the oldest by far, stepped through the double doors. She was hunched over, back stooped and legs trembling as if she were carrying the weight of the world, but she walked forward as if her age did not plague her. A shock of white hair was on her head, which was tied back into a thin ponytail that draped over her bony shoulder. The only thing Yu could make out was the rich green cloak she wore, its edge sewn with an ensemble of colored leaves that fluttered with her moments. A heavy wooden staff of ancient redwood was in her hand, its gnarled head the size of a coconut, and upon her brow was a circlet of lacquered twigs that were spun together with expert skill. She grinned, all gums and no teeth, to more applause.

          "She looks nice! Like the little old shopping ladies at Junes!" Teddie said.

          " _Don't_ try and beg her for treats," Yosuke said, _very_ firmly.

          By then, Yukiko and Chie had found them, and he nodded his greeting as the Master carried on;

          "Now presenting: His royal majesty, thrice defender and honored hero of the realm, King Borris of Stentlant!"

          The next man to come through lumbered in at a slow and trudging pace, and the first thing Yu noticed was the king's massive girth. His rotund stomach bulged under the resplendent black velvet shirt he wore, rolling ungainly with every step he took. His head and chin were covered in a thick, heavy mop of dark brown hair, and sweat was clinging to his brow. Despite the labor of his efforts, he brusquely waved away any help, looking unimpressed and a mite bored as he clambered down the steps. It was only on his way down that Yu saw his crown, fashioned of stark-white metal with sharp, pointed tines all around its circumference. The king was holding it in his hand rather than wearing it on his brow, and every now and again, he'd reach around with it and use it to scratch his ass.

          "'Thrice defender and honored hero of the realm', huh?" Chie whispered, looking highly unimpressed.

          "It is a bit disappointing," Yukiko murmured.

          Yu wrinkled his nose a little. The man did come off as a little . . . repugnant. Whatever he'd been, his adventuring days were far behind him now.

          "Now presenting: Their royal majesties of Kolgore, King Meinrad the Eighth, and Queen Amalia of the Vales!"

          The next couple was an attractive one; the man was tall, smartly dressed in an icy doublet lined with white and a velvet cloak trimmed with gray fur, with ashen hair and sharp blue eyes. Beside him, the woman was just as attractive, hair as bright as a sunbeam and coiled high upon her head, held in place with a bright silver tiara speckled with jewels. Her dress was plush, blue and grey and studded with rhinestones, sparkling under the chandelier lights. They held their heads high as the audience applauded, then descended the steps together in perfect unison, arm-in-arm and smiling all the while.

          "Do they come off as a little creepy to anyone else?" Chie asked, frowning.

          "They're probably going to be the stuck-up ones, just watch," Rise warned, looking sure of herself.

          "Guys, be quiet before someone _hears_ you!" Yosuke hissed.

          "Now presenting: his royal highness of Fessix, staunch commander of the Knights of the Tempest and bane of the Naedarish, Prince Roland!"

          That caught Yu's attention, even as the newcomer emerged into the galley. He was tall and lithe and rather young compared to the ones who'd come before him, shoulders back and head held high under the stares of those present. He was wearing armor, polished white with enameled scales all down the breastplate, a cloak of sea-foam green thrown over his shoulders. A scabbard stylized with engraved depictions of war swung from his hip, the crest bearing the embattled knight symbol of his kingdom. He walked with a warrior's stride, a sense of pride and honor in his gait as he followed the rest of the royals.

          "Ooh, a warrior-prince!" Rise trilled, "I wonder what his story is?"

          Yukiko giggled, "You sound almost exactly like Rhysana-san, Rise-chan."

          The other girl smiled slightly, "I guess I kinda do, huh?"

          "Now presenting: His royal majesty of the rekindled Kennebrecht, The Iron King Stephan!"

          And the last of the royals appeared, a man of short stature and lanky appearance. No hair crowned his head despite him not being of old age, face gaunt and lean, nose as crooked as a hawk's beak. His attire was simple, black and grey and somber, a band of wrought iron and silver encircling his brow. He departed the balcony as quickly as he'd stepped upon it, striding to the other end of the hall with nary a turn of his head to the gathered assembly.

          "He looks friendly," Chie commented.

          "He looks scary . . ." Teddie said.

          Yu said nothing. His eyes were on the royals as they ascended the side stairs to their seats, as regal and illustrious as he'd imagined royals to be. Queen Edda sat in the center, Tiruviel beside her, and the rest of the kings and queens fanned out across the top. But the rest of the nobles around them did not move to take their own seats, not quite yet.

          The reason why became clear as the Master of Ceremonies bellowed, "And now, presenting to you, your Champions of the World Wound-"

          All his friends (the ones present, anyway) straightened, eyes all flying eagerly to the balcony above them. A buzz of excitement filtered throughout the hall, the nobles whispering to one another in renewed fervor.

          "Scion of the Church of Irun, Silver Blade of Dresden, bane of demon-kind, Lord Yalathas!"

          The people cheered even before Yalathas stepped through the doors, and Yu could see the man smiling in amusement even from his position down below. His brocade was snowy white and gilded with silver along the collar and sleeves, his sword girded at his hip. He had chosen to wear a mask, it seemed, a grey one with white feathers fletched at the corners. Not that it mattered since everyone knew him, but maybe that was the appeal.

          "Ooh, he looks nice," Rise commented.

          "So feathers were in," Yukiko mumbled to herself, nodding.

          "Child of the Green Wood," the master droned on, "Born of tempest blood and gifted sorcerer of the eight realms, Lord Yvir!"

          Yvir followed suit, the sunset hued tailcoat he wore burning bright against the cooler colors of the hall. A half circlet of gold encircled the back of his head, the end of each curling down just around his ears before they could cut through his elegant birthmarks. Aife perched majestically upon his shoulder, a small harness tied around his torso, spreading his vibrant wings as his master descended the stairwell to the awed shouts of the people.

          "What does 'child of the green wood' mean?" Yosuke wondered, looking puzzled.

          Yu shrugged, to intent on watching to answer.

          "Born of the Dragon Spine Mountains, esteemed monk and slayer of the dreaded Chimera, Lady Cahira Simorn!"

          Cahira burst in with just as much energy as he would expect, grinning as the people cheered on. Unlike most present, she was dressed fairly simply, a humble robe of green cloth with a black sash tied around her middle and wooden sandals on her feet. Like a monk, he realized belatedly.

          Chie nodded, looking pleased. Perhaps it lived up to an image she had in her head, but he couldn't be sure.

          "First of the House of the Sun, child of the elves, Healer of Sacred Fire, Lady Ylvaria Illumvanvi!"

          Ylvaria was stunning as she emerged onto the balcony. Her dress looked spun of living fire, the dyed shades of orange, red and gold rolling seamlessly together with every twist of her skirt. Her red bodice was fletched with feathers as dark as ebony, and a mask of gold was perched over her face, the nose elongated to resemble a bird's curving beak. She curtsied before the audience, the picture of sophisticated grace, then made her way down the stairs.

          "Oooh . . ." Teddie murmured, staring.

          "I like her mask," Yukiko said, "I wish I could have worn something like that."

          The Master roared on, "Master of the Verse and Singer of Dragons, the beautiful Lady Rhysana Tylvanni!"

          The whole audience fell hush as the bard stepped out into the hall, as radiant as an evening sun. Her hair was done up in bountiful curls that had been dusted with a shimmering powder, her dress a fuchsia pink and bearing a garland of roses sewn in from shoulder to hip. She gave a graceful spin, the silk skirt flaring out around her legs, glittering with the same shine as her hair before she headed down to the floor below.

          "Wow . . ." everyone murmured.

          "Battle-born in spirit, The Hammer of the Champions and Howler of Dresden, Lord Korval Crewlys!"

          Korval emerged right after, hair groomed nicely but looking a bit uncomfortable in his fine vest and pants. He continuously fiddled with the embroidered cuffs of his sleeves, even as he gave a curt nod to the Master of ceremonies. Unlike the rest, he did not immediately leave the balcony, and the reason why became apparent as the portly man beside him carried on.

          "-And his wife, daughter of the esteemed House Theron and Hunter of Demons, Lady Nyras Theron!"

          The ranger was a picture of loveliness as she emerged, hair free of its confines a swooped back into an elegant bun. Her dress was a dark, dark blue, the top of her skirt studded with small, clear crystals and strangely reminiscent of a star speckled sea. Without hesitation, Korval extended a gentlemanly arm, face all aglow, and she accepted it with a warm smile.

          "Oh man, Kanji and Naoto _definitely_ saw that," Chie commented, watching the display a little awkwardly. She was most certainly right, and Yu felt a little bad for the two who were still hiding away somewhere in the crowd.

          "Aw, they look so happy," Rise said with a pleased grin.

          "Still kinda weird to watch . . ." Yosuke murmured, rocking on his feet, "I mean, how in the world did _that_ happen?"

          "Oh hush, you just don't understand how love works," Rise said dismissively.

          "And finally, Scion of the Shadows, The Cloaked Dagger, Lord Tirin!"

          The gloaming hopped out into view with a grin and a bow, his sparkling gold doublet a vivid turn-around from his dark armor. With ease, he jumped onto the stairwell banister and slid down to the ballroom floor, earning several cries and cheers from the onlookers.

          "Show-off," Yosuke said.

          Teddie huffed, "I could have done that too!"

          The other boy scoffed, "Sure."

          The Master continued to below out names, but Yu's eyes followed their counterparts as they took their places at the high bench. How striking an image they cut, and how strong the crowd seemed to adore them. It was strange to know that in this world, this was _his_ life. In some way, he was sitting up there, overlooking a crowd of nobles not because of birth, but because of heroism.

          The people around them began to move, and Yu realized they were taking their seats. Quickly, he and his friends monopolized a corner for themselves, near the back but still in clear view of the high bench and its occupants. A few minutes later, Kanji and Naoto were escorted over by one of the handmaids assigned to their watch, neither saying a word to _anyone_ as they took their seats on opposite ends of the row, far from each other.

          "Well, what can we expect?" Yosuke murmured to him.

          Yu nodded, "Yes, this did all happen very suddenly for them. All we can do is hope they recover."

          There was a clamor down the end of the hall, and all eyes were drawn to the high bench as Queen Edda gracefully rose to her feet. It was only when the nobles had fallen silent, so silent you could have heard a pin drop, that she spoke, her voice strong and clear as it echoed down the hall, "My fellow kings and queens, my high lords and ladies, welcome! On this day, we gather together in remembrance of our sacred truce, the alliance brokered by our ancestors in a time of great strife and torment! Centuries ago we were broken. But centuries since, we have stood together, our flags raised proudly in defiance to the evil that would see us fall," she gave a grand sweep of her arm to the flags lined along the walls, voice climbing, "This day reminds us of our age-old promise, of our unity, and of our strength to stand as one against a plague that threatened us all. And now, at last, we can come together without fear! For three years ago, our enemy was defeated, the World Wound sealed! Three years ago, our long war came to an end, and peace returned to our shattered realm! And three years hence, on this day, we honor the ones who made it possible! Rise now, our Champions, and let your people see you!"

          As one, the eight gathered on the bench below rose, and the hall was filled with cheers. Nobles all around the hall stood from their seats, bellowing loud and rancorously, the noise swelling so high Yu heard nothing else. Yet, he found he couldn't stifle the stirring in his own heart as he watched these people scream praise and adulation to ones who shared their faces, feeling their thanks rise like a swelling tide. So powerful was this force, he imagined it pushing him out of his seat to stand, clapping with the rest as a haze of revelry filled him.

          It went on for several minutes before the queen at last waved everyone to silence.

          "On this day," she continued, and her voice seemed smaller compared to the power of before, "We stand together and remember those who were lost along the way. May their souls forever rest, knowing their sacrifices were not in vain, and that their families and loved ones may bask in a world free of the scars that had haunted this land. And now, in their memory, the memory of our ancestors, and the memory of our ancient vow-" she held her arms up, hands raised towards the sky, and bellowed, "May the Grand Assembly _begin!_ "

(*)

          Night had fallen, yet the city below was alight with carousing, every tavern lit, every chimney smoking as the festive cries of the people rose up and away on the wind.

          She looked over it all from her place on the bridge, watching for a time. Such small lives, theirs were, and so simple. Their days were filled with toil, their worlds comprised of their families and their jobs, with simple pleasure sewn between. It was only on nights like these that they partook of something more.

          Poor little things . . . they had no way of preparing for the storm.

          But it was not her place to worry. Brushing out her skirt to restore a semblance of order to her chosen attire, she turned and made way for the castle proper. She had a party to attend.

          Above her head, the clouds rumbled, and a streak of white fire lit the sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a second question: Are you ready for shit to get real?
> 
> Hee hee hee. :3


	29. Storm Breaking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey. How you doin'? Ready for shit to start poppin'? Good, I thought so.
> 
> Brought to you by an *insane* amount of Imagine Dragons.
> 
> This chapter came out waaaaaay longer than I'd originally intended, but I'm ai'ght with it. :3
> 
> Also, I keep forgetting to do this, and it is disgusting, but here's some fanart I got from the lovely ChaoticBlades! I love you, sweetie, keep doing what you do. ;)
> 
> http://41.media.tumblr.com/8943eea1c2377e818730fd43c4d8d1e5/tumblr_nx20wg0dIc1sqy3ywo1_1280.jpg  
> https://40.media.tumblr.com/bb7750494ef41ac8a012c74d048fbf25/tumblr_o0m8lwuESh1sqy3ywo1_540.jpg

          The feast could only be described a stupendously bountiful, in Yu's opinion. Several courses were served throughout, each more delicious than the last; appetizers of thick venison soup and leafy salads coated in a sweet vinaigrette, a main course of numerous roasted meats, fish cooked in an herb crust, and steamed vegetables basted with garlic, and finally a round of sweet tartlets and frosted lemon cakes. By the time it was over, Yu couldn't even dream of eating another bite. Jesters, dancers, and other performers entertained the audience throughout the meal, music and skits that were fun to watch even if some of the jokes flew over his head.

          All in all, it was a fantastic dinner.

          From time to time he'd watch the high bench, though there wasn't a whole lot to see. The kings and queens would converse with one another (some willingly, others not), as well as the Champions, who entertained them as they ate. Queen Elena would coax her husband to eat from her own fork, which he'd begrudgingly oblige too, much to the woman's delight. Queen Ida was deep in conversation with the royals of Rothvigot, just as Queen Edda and Tiruviel were with each other, while the two from Kolgore seemed to be speaking to anyone _but_ the other. The prince and the Iron King mostly kept to themselves, while King Borris seemed especially interested in what the Champions had to say, leaning intently over his seat as he listened to their stories.

          All around him too, he could hear the nearby voices of others as drink made their inhibition vanish, and he listened in on the noisy conversations as he ate his fill. He couldn't hear all of it, and much of his time would become monopolized by his friends, but some of the things he heard were quite interesting.

          He was listening to one now, a bit of an idle conversation between two noble girls about more inane things, like jeweled necklaces and gowns. He was just about to tune it out when their subject suddenly changed.

          "Now, just what are you thinking? I see you, mooning at the champions like a sparrow moons a shiny little trinket."

          "O-oh, well . . . i-it was nothing, don't worry yourself over it."

          "Now stop that. I know when you're lying, you do that little stutter! Come on, out with it!"

          "Shh! I was just looking, what's so wrong with that?"

          "Looking at who, pray tell? Lord Tirin? I'll admit, he is quite lovely to look at. Or maybe the pretty _bard_ caught your eye?"

          Yu had to fight down a laugh at that, hiding his smile by taking a drink.

          "No, not them!"

          "But someone?"

          "Oh, why do you have to do this? Ugh, fine . . . I was looking at Lord Yalathas."

          He perked up, taking a bite of succulent roast to pretend he _wasn't_ impolitely listening in.

          "Hm, well . . . I'm sure he's quite the gentleman, but-"

          "He's heroic, as well as a paladin of Irun! What's more noble and good than that? And he's handsome too!" a sigh, "I know, you're going to tell me its just a little girl's fantasy, and yes, you're right. He's one of the Champions, far and above even me . . ."

          "Well, it goes a little deeper than that, I'm afraid . . ."

          "What? What do you mean?"

          "Haven't you heard? People have been whispering that _that_ one already has a fiancé."

          _That_ made him choke, the meat flying down the wrong pipe and getting stuck there.

          "Dude, you okay?" Yosuke asked, watching him as he coughed violently into his hand, clearly not having heard the girls conversation.

          Yu waved him back, nodding as he drank some water while on the inside he was quietly freaking out. He hadn't been expecting that. He hadn't been expecting that at _all_.

          A fiancé? Who in the world could it possibly be, if it was true? Rhysana? Ylvaria? Someone he _hadn't_ met? It hadn't _looked_ like Yalathas had been going out with any one of his compatriots. But then, neither had Korval and Nyras until he'd caught them kissing.

          He stared at his plate for a good three minutes, contemplating that little tidbit of information, perhaps a bit more obsessively than he should have. It might not be true. After all, she'd said it was just a rumor. But if it was . . .

          It creeped Yu out a little, honestly. The idea of a carbon-copy of himself dating one of his friends (or anyone, really) was bizarre to imagine. Belated, he realized now how Naoto and Kanji must have felt.    

          He found his gaze wandering to the high bench, where their counterparts sat entertaining the kings and queens. Yalathas was seated in the center, and he was smiling as he exchanged words with Yvir, a glass in hand. Rhysana was on his other side, but he wasn't looking at her. Even when he did, his expression didn't really change, so far as he could see . . .

          This went on for a little while until another voice cut in, "Hey, Partner, are you okay? You've been staring at them for a _really_ long time now."

          Yu tore his gaze away to look at Yosuke, who was frowning in puzzlement. Biting his lip and feeling embarrassed at having been caught, he replied, "Uh, well, I was just . . . I was trying to . . . you know what, there isn't really a good way to explain it."

          Yosuke nodded slowly, "Well, that kinda pushes that into creep levels of territory."

          Yu cringed, "Yeah . . . I just heard something, is all. Does that make it better?"

          "Depends on what you heard, I think. Was it a good thing or a bad thing?" Yosuke asked, giving his full attention to his friend.

          "I don't know?" Yu replied stiffly, shrugging and feeling quite lost on how to broach this.

          At Yosuke's confused expression, Yu relented with a sigh, voice dropping to a whisper, "Well, its just . . . I overheard two girls talking, and . . . they said Yalathas may or may not have . . . a . . . fiancé?"

          Yosuke's eyes widened, "Dude, for real?"

          Yu nodded, face feeling warm for not-ill reasons. God, this was kinda embarrassing . . .

          "Did they say who?" was Yosuke's immediate and predictable follow-up question.

          Yu shook his head, "No . . . and I am not going to ask them. I don't even know if its credible or not, they just said it was 'being whispered about'."

          "Hm . . ." at once, a light lit up Yosuke's eyes, and he patted Yu's shoulder urgently, "Well, there's a way we can find out! Ask Yvir!"

          "What?"

          "Dude, we're still best friends in this world, too! If anyone know if that rumor's true or not, it'd be my weird air-spirit doppelganger!" the other boy said with absolute certainty, "And he probably won't have a problem telling you! I mean, you're his best friend too, in a weird way."

          Yu frowned, "Hm, maybe . . ."

          Still . . . did he even really want to know? Was it any of his business? It wasn't like the realities of this world had a part to play in his own anyway, right?

          Right.

          _Definitely_ right.

          A sudden chill went down his spine, a cold that lingered and made him shiver. He reflexively ran his hands down his arms, perplexed by the sensation since as far he could see no windows had been opened. At the same time, movement above his head up on the balcony caught his attention, and without much thought, he turned to look.

          Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. A simple latecomer was walking inside, wearing a dress and matching gloves of velvet burgundy as well as a heavy black cloak that was laid over her shoulders, white hair pulled up into a taut bun. Like many she wore a mask, one that covered her face in it's entirety, porcelain-made with painted lips and shadowed eyes.

          What _was_ strange was that the Master of Ceremonies was not calling her name. He was standing there, watching her enter, pudgy hands wrapped firm over the lacquered board where the guest list supposedly was. But as he watched, Yu noticed something odd. His eyes . . . didn't seem to be following her. Like he was frozen still, a statue made of flesh and bone instead of marble and rock.

          Slowly, one by one, all eyes became drawn to the strangeness above them, until the whole hall gradually fell silent. It was only then that the woman began her descent, hand draped over the banister with all the elegance of a highborn lady, painted porcelain face betraying no emotion at all.

          That was when he saw her nails, long and curving and _sharp_.

          Several of the guards had seen as well, for suddenly they were striding forward, hands clasped around the hilts of their swords. One held up a hand, gesturing for her to halt.

          The strange woman looked at them, and they all movement ceased. There was no fanfare of magic, no spoken word or snapping fingers . . . but each and every guard coming towards her stopped as if someone had hit their personal pause button, and they did not move again.

          Cries of alarm went up all around him, and Yu found himself rising to his own feet, hand going for a sword that was not there as more guardsmen raced forward.

          That was when the woman spoke, her voice rising up over the tumult of noise like a thunderstorm even though her tone was nothing but amicable and sweet, "Now, now, why must humans always make such fuss over small things? Peace, my lords and ladies. No blood need be shed in this ballroom."

          Queen Edda had risen from her seat, a look of hard disdain on her face, lips curled in anger, "If any blood is to be shed, it will be yours, creature! How did you even get past my guardsmen! My knights!"

          The woman only curtsied, even as several more guards circled her, swords drawn and pointed her way, "Queen Edda. It is a pleasure to meet you at last. Indeed, the same goes for all you royal majesties. Have no fear for your guardsmen, they are merely indisposed at the moment."

          The scowling King Adalbert spat, pointing his axe her way with a threatening jab, "Keep your platitudes to yourself, beast! Your kind never mean's it!"

          His wife Elena laid a calming hand on his arm, face a composed neutral even though her eyes flickered with fear, and he responded by gently shrugging her back so he stood in front of her, black eyes never once straying from the woman at the heart of the hall.

          Prince Roland had risen as well, sword drawn and looking ready to leap down at a moment's notice, "You know you could not enter this palace and expect to walk free. Tell me, demon, is it your wish to die an honorable death on this hallowed day?"

          Beside him, King Borris let loose a sudden bark of laughter, still seated and drinking a flagon of spirits, "A demon with honor, now there's a joke if I've ever heard one!  Still, my good man, you're forgetting something; kill a demon, and it just goes right back to the maggot pit it crawled out of!"

          "There are ways to destroy a demon permanently," Queen Edda said, eyes burning with azure flames.

          "Indeed," King Stephen had risen now, scowling down his nose at the woman.

          The woman held up her hands, "Peace, your majesties. Perhaps my words may fall on doubting ears, but I have not come to quarrel. Instead, I have simply come to talk. And, perhaps, even to warn."

          Whispers rose up around the hall, filled with uncertainty and fear as the kings and queens of the high bench continued to look down upon her with suspicion.

          Queen Ida stood up, bones creaking along with her voice, "What does a demon gain of warning humans of anything? And yet, what have you to gain now by lying? Hm, I sense only a half-truth to your claim, child of brimstone."

          "Then we should slay it and be done with this nonsense!" Queen Amalia spoke out, face taut with fear.

          King Friedrich waved her down, ignoring her glare as he turned to the woman, pendulum jangling around his neck, "What words have you come to speak? And what reason have we to believe them?"

          "None at all," the woman replied, head bowed low and subservient, "But perhaps you could hear what I have to say before you put me to the iron? Consider them my last words."

          The kings and queens traded wary and disbelieving glances, save King Borris, who scoffed, "Bold thing you are indeed, demon."

          It was Tiruviel who reached the decision first, all eyes flicking to the ancient protector of the lake, "Hear me, your majesties. This demon claims to come here to warn us. If true, then would it not be prudent of us to hear her out? I believe afterward, we can then access the validity of her claim while she remains in custody. Does this please you?"

          Queen Edda wrinkled her nose, frowning deep, but relented with an averse nod, "Very well. Speak, demon. We will hear what you have to say. Once you are finished, you _will_ be escorted to the castle dungeons, where you will remain indefinitely."

          The woman rose, and though Yu could not see what lay behind her mask, he strongly felt she was smiling.

          "Thank you, your eminence. Your reputation for clemency precedes you," she said, nodding to the dragon. There was a pause, and the lady let loose a sudden chuckle, "Oh, dear me, I seem to have forgotten something your majesties. Something that pertains to our dear Champions."

          Their counterparts, who had left the high bench to stand level with the woman, stared at her, suspicion clear on their faces. Cahira, Yvir, Korval, and Nyras were openly glowering, tension lined throughout their whole body as they waited for the slightest sign of violence. Ylvaria and Rhysana were more composed, but their lips were curled down in revulsion, hands rigid at their sides. Yalathas stood at the head, eyes narrowed and frowning. Of Tirin there was no sign, but Yu had no doubt he was somewhere, waiting in the shadows.

          She curtsied to them as well, "Allow me to extend my deepest apologies. Your tale is known to demon-kind, and I have nothing but respect for ones so bold, regardless of my blood. Please, I wish to amend my folly and make it up to you."

          There was silence for a time.

          Then Yalathas was stepping forward, silver eyes as sharp as a blade's edge, "You said you had words to share. Forgive me for any crassness, but we do not much care for the acclamations of a demon."  

          "Of course," she nodded, "However, I'm afraid it may be out of my hands. For you see, I've already invited them."

          Wariness crept into Yalathas' eyes, "Invited who?"

          At that, the woman looked at him. The whole room had gone quiet, the anticipation cloying as she answered, her tone as mockingly sweet as a sugar-coated cyanide pill, "Why, old friends, of course."

          She threw her arm out to the grandiose stairwell right as the air before it was sundered in two, splitting apart like a curtain as the portal rent the veil between spaces like twain. The woman's voice climbed higher over the frightened gasps of the people, and underneath her mask, she was most assuredly grinning, "Please, allow me to reacquaint you with them!"

          From beyond, shadows shifted and wavered like mirages before they slid out into the open.

          It was that moment Yu felt it; the sheer presence of evil like he hadn't felt since that night in Sedgeridge. Except somehow it was _worse_ , choking and rotten and slamming into him like a wall of water, leeching his breath away. A cold sweat beaded his brow, and it was all he could do to keep his knees from knocking together as the figures emerged and revealed the shadows he was afraid to see.

          They all moved through the vaporous ripples of the portal with ease, seven in all, unperturbed by the numbing silence their appearance brought.

          The first was a drow woman of unabashed beauty, her skin cut from onyx, her eyes shorn from rubies, and her hair spun from silver-white starlight. Her robe of spider silk was crossed with veins of ebony, the open slit running down her chest gilded with the spider symbol of her goddess. A heavy circlet curved around her head, striated stilts resembling spider legs cradling the sides of her face and neck, the top bearing a bright, blood red ruby at its heart. But that was where the beauty ended, and the frightening began, for in place of ordinary legs was the heavy, bulbous abdomen of a spider. Each thin leg rippled together with every paced step, disturbingly graceful for such an unseemly creature. Her carapace was shiny black, and though it was for just an instant, Yu thought he saw a glimmer of red flash along the underside of her abdomen. Her face was a sneer of contempt, looking down on them all as if they were mere ants in her eyes.

          Following her was a drow man, as lithe as a shadow, face as stolid and set as stone. His armor was pitch, shifting like the shadows caught within a candle's flickering light, with two swords strapped securely to his sides. A perpetual fog traced after his footsteps, the ghostly mark of his passing that faded away just as surely as a summer mist.

          Next came a woman as beautiful as she was disturbing. There was no right way to describe it, but the smile she wore upon her fair, heart-shaped face seemed plastic in nature, stretching far too widely along her pretty lips. A dead rose was woven into the strands of her luminous hair, diaphanous grey dress whispering over the ground like fallen leaves. She floated over the floor, and wherever she went, a dark, moldy grime seemed to follow, covering the once polished tiles in a thin layer of decay.

          The next to come was a massive being, and he recognized the green skin and jutting tusks of one of orc blood. But this one looked far less friendly than Korval, rugged and scarred with tiny bones tied into the thick tresses of his wiry black beard. His armor was a heavy set of patched-together pieces stolen from numerous victories, a bloody red fist painted over the battle-scarred mail, and a massive battleaxe was strapped to his back. Only one eye was visible, the other hidden beneath a grizzled eye-patch.

          The woman who walked beside him was far smaller, body built for speed and agility even though her bare arms were corded with muscles. Her stark white hair was shaved on one side, piercings of bloodstone decorating her nose and ears, bright compared to the stark white of her skin. Her eyes were scarlet, peering around her with a gleam that almost looked like sadness. But the rigid composure of her face made it hard to tell.

          Behind her came a man that was just as pale of complexion yet by far the more alive one in personality. He was smiling openly, looking quite enthused by this whole predicament as he glanced from one shocked face to the other. His attire was colorful, bright sweeps red and yellows and oranges that flowed together with an artisan's touch, looking for all the world a jester even though there was nothing to laugh about now. A feathered cap was perched upon his head, the ebony feather jutting from the coif bouncing along merrily as the man walked. There was a rapier at his side, and surprisingly enough, a silver flute upon his back.

          And lastly, and by far the most terrifying to emerge, was the textbook definition of a demon. Huge he was, so huge he took up the majority of the space on the open floor, great horns swooping up over his head, fire hissing beneath his taloned feet. His body was coated in crimson scales, and a long tail ending in a lethal barb swished over the ground, looking as if it could skewer a man easily. Its eyes burned like brimstone, and smoke curled from the juncture of his bestial jaws.

          At once, horrified screams filled the hall, nobles scrambling from their seats and clambering for the terrace doors only to have them slammed shut in their face by an unnatural wind.

          The woman laughed behind her painted mask, "Now, now, that is very rude of you. Surely you can be better company than that!"

          The fighting kings and queens had all drawn their weapons, Queen Edda shouting, "We did not give you leave to invite your horde! Guards, to me!"

          All the armed soldiers of Arvorod readied their blades as their Queen made to join them, when Yalathas' shout cut through the air, " _STOP!_ "

          And she did stop, more out of surprise than a will to obey as the silver-eyed man waved her back, "Leave this to us! This is our fight!"

          As he spoke, he and the rest of his companions all touched an ornament they wore, some a mask, others a ring, and uttered something immutable he could not hear. Then there was a blinding flash, and suddenly the rich attire the Champions had worn for the evening was gone, replaced by their armor and their weapons, ones they quickly drew in the face of these new and unexpected arrivals. Yalathas pointed his crystal blade at them, color skittering under its surface like fish beneath a lake, and all the world seemed to hold its breath.

          "Oh, but I told you, I did not come here to fight!" the woman said, unperturbed by the appearance of their weapons, "I came here to speak. And my compatriots here are simply to establish a point."

          The woman turned to them, holding her hand to her allies, "Now, it may be a little redundant, but allow me to-

          "Tabris?!"

          The woman fell silent as Cahira suddenly strode forward, all eyes drawn to the monk as she continued to yell, "Tabris, is that you? What the hell are you doing here?"

          At first, no one moved. Then, the woman with the bloodstone ornaments looked up, her impassive expression cracking into a frown as she returned the other woman's stare, "Cahira. It has been some time, hasn't it?"

          _They know each other,_ Yu thought, the surprise distant in light of all that was happening.

          "Spare me that!" Cahira shouted, cutting an angry hand through the air, "Why are you here? Why are you with _them?!_ "

          "My reasons are my own," the woman, Tabris, replied. For a brief moment, her face turned somber, "I do not ask you to understand. Truthfully, I had hoped our paths would not cross here. But I suppose that was a foolish wish."

          "That does not answer my question," Cahira replied, eyes narrowed and hands clenched into fists at her sides. She looked troubled, angry, but beneath it, there was an undercurrent of shock and worry, the sort of which you did not reserve for an enemy.

          "I know," was all Tabris had left to say, "Now still your thoughts and steel your soul, Simorn. This is no place to be distracted."

          Cahira frowned, but seemed to realize their conversation was over and Tabris had nothing more to say. However reluctant she appeared, she stepped back over to her allies and remained there, Ylvaria putting a comforting hand on hers.

          The frightening orc man grunted, voice a rugged timber that was hard to understand through his long, cracked tusks, "Humph. An enemy that needs your advice is no enemy at all."

          There was a harsh scoff, and Yu looked to see Korval sneering in utter contempt, "But those are the only enemies you'd fight, aren't they?"

          The orc half-turned, eye blazing with scorn and lips curling into a savage sneer, growling dangerously while he pointed at the other as if he were nothing but a disobedient dog, " _Silence_. A filthy _half-blood_ with no clan and no name has no right to speak to _me,_ Grumack of the Ironfist. Remember that, _maggot_ , before I cleave your bastard head in two!"

          "Try it, _Nar Thos!_ " Korval spat back, anger boiling over through every pore of his body, hammer up and ready.

          Grumack roared with all the savagery of a war beast, swinging his battle-axe into his hands and legs bunching, ready to charge and heedless of the danger. Korval looked more than ready to meet him, that same look of furious anger mirrored eerily on his face.

          It was only then the first woman held up her hand, a burst of magic flying from her open fingers and rolling over the congregation in a wave that chilled to the bone, "Now, enough of that. Remember, we came to talk, Grumack. Your honor can come later."

          The orc growled at her, and for a moment, Yu was sure he was about to take her head off with one swing of his axe. But then, he relented, glaring balefully at Korval, who returned with just as much vitriol even as Nyras placed a supporting hand against his arm.

          "Hmph, are all mortal gatherings so boring?" Yu had to shiver under the power of the demonic entity's voice, the windows trembling as the beast looked down upon the congregation, "Surely, a little bloodshed would make this night far more interesting."

          His burning gaze scanned the Champions, before it became fixed on one person in particular. Nyras glared in return, and even though the only physical expression she showed was a frown, Yu was taken aback by the sheer, scorching _fury_ that was blazing like a wildfire in her eyes.

          The demon's returning grin was frightening to behold, "Ah, if it isn't the little Theron girl, all grown up and wearing her leathers. Tell me . . ." he stooped lower, tail flicking against the tiled stone and leaving sharp divots in it's wake, his questioning tone inlaid with cruel, vindictive derision, "How's mommy and daddy?"

          There was movement, a flash of gold, and suddenly the demon was reeling back, roaring and clutching at his eye with a massive claw, a bolt protruding between his twisted fingers. Snarling, he ripped it out and glared down with his remaining eye, tongues of fire licking over his fanged snout. Nyras stared back, a smirk of dark satisfaction curling the corners of her lips.

          "Little _rat!_ " the demon shouted, barbed tail slamming into the floor, the tile cracking like eggshells beneath it as the nobles screamed, "Lord Astaroth stands before you, wretch! I could tear your soul to _ribbons_ if I so choose!"

          The ranger did not dignify his heated words with a reply, merely reloading another bolt into her crossbow. Korval placed a hand on her shoulder, shoulders braced back as he gave a withering look to the creature.

          The demon looked enraged at her crass dismissal of his existence, but before he could make good on his terrifying threat, a laugh cut through the tense air, "Hard to imagine how you find this boring. I haven't had nearly so much fun at a party in years!"

          The colorfully dressed man was the one who had spoken, throwing his arms out with a merry grin, "Delightful company, dramatic setting, and the sort of bitter tension I haven't seen since the archdevils own reunion party! Truly, this will be a day marked down in the annals of history!" without a thought, he plucked a wilting red carnation from its vase, ignoring the nobles cowering on the opposite side of the table as he rolled it delicately between his fingers, "Hm, I do so enjoy being invited to such things. There truly is no greater joy to be had. Don't you agree, my dear?"

          He planted a kiss on the flower's petals, a devilish smirk playing across his face as he turned and lightly tossed it to Rhysana. It landed at her feet, where it remained as the bard fixed a poisonous scowl on the man. Without breaking eye contact, she lifted her foot and crushed the flower beneath her heel with such disdain it was chilling to behold. It was the first time Yu had ever seen her so genuinely angry, but the man only smiled as if she had just told him a lighthearted joke, a grin that was as sharp the as the fang glinting just below his lip.

          "All well and good for one of your kind, Gethen, but some of us have far more important matters to attend to," the spider drow spoke up, the word 'kind' glossed with the tenor of distaste only the arrogant could muster, looking down her nose upon everyone in the room, "Truly, this farce is a waste of my time."

          "A waste of ours as well, _linate-miq_."

          The drow woman looked coolly at Ylvaria, who returned it with an icy stare. The drow raised her chin proudly, tone laced with scorn as she placed her hands behind her back, "Ah, Ilumvanvi. I wondered when you might deign to open that pretty mouth of yours. A change of pace, I imagine, from the back rooms of a brothel."

          Ylvaria was not cowed, a vision of haughtiness that belied the friendly, laughing woman they had come to know, "You'd know that well, wouldn't you, Vrammyr? Tell me, just how is your son?"

          The elf's gaze landed on the drow man beside her, and even though he gave no reaction to her insult, the drow woman did, icy countenance cracking for a split second as she bristled, " _Gaer zhah miild taga uss i'dol ul venor na z'han-tarth, elg'cress._ "

          The man, Gethen, snorted.

          "Now please, Lady Phaedra," The first woman said, politely curtsying, "This is a party, and we are honored guests. Civility should be respected. Our business will be concluded shortly, I promise you."

          The drow woman sneered and sharply turned her head, falling into a displeasured silence but a silence all the same.

          "A party, a party, a party for the crowns! How sterling the silver, how glittering the gold!" the beautiful woman with rot tracing her path suddenly began to spin around and around, as if she could no longer contain herself as she danced to a tune only she could hear, smile still stretched far too wide. She stopped and held her arms out to the kings and queens as if in supplication, but the mad light in her eyes betrayed the darkness within as she gave a low, mocking bow, "A perfect pretty play for the avarice of old."

          She stood upright just as quick, ramrod straight, turning only her head to regard the Champions with a weird, twitchy smile. It grew even bigger when her eyes alighted on Yvir.

          "Ah-ha! Princeling of the green, the ashwood, the air, my little sun and moons and stars, I haven't seen you in _so_ many years!" she floated to him, ignoring the way he backed up like she were something foul, "My, how you've grown! Not so little, not so prince, but all of you the sky!" She pouted, a childish whine rising in her throat, "You never come to visit me anymore."

          "I wonder why," the sorcerer replied dryly, arms crossed and glaring.

          She waved him off, "The past is the past is the past! Oh, I regret my actions, truly, I just wanted to see my sister again! And what a more perfect little carrier pigeon than her own son?"

           Yvir scowled at her, tersely nodding his head to the unwelcome visitors, "And is _this_ supposed to be an apology, Laila?"

          "Oh no no no no, this is no apology, silly boy!" the woman, Laila, said, waving her hands in dismissal. She was still smiling that plastic smile, too wide and too broken to be real, when Yu noticed something . . . wrong. The skin around her mouth was . . . darkening, a fetid blackness that rippled away from her twitching lips, pouring over her pretty skin like oil over snow. And as he watched, he saw with horror that the flesh was crumpling inward, dissolving, scarring, wilting-

          _Rotting . . ._

          "This is my part to an agreement in promise for a head, princeling," Laila replied, her voice suddenly dropping in pitch and becoming much more sinister, much more threatening. The odiferous rot continued to creep up her face, the hollow of her nasal bones slowly withering into view as she leaned closer even as Yvir moved away. She would have followed him, had Yalathas not pressed the edge of his blade to her throat, a warning look in his silver eyes, lips turned down in quiet disgust.

          Laila looked down at it as if she were surprised it was there, stopping. But then she looked up, the remaining skin around her mouth tearing as her teeth stretched into another too-wide grin, tone almost reassuring as she glanced at the sorcerer, "But not your head, my stars, of _course_ not. I still have plans for you.~"

          Almost . . . but not quite.

          She laughed and spun happily back to the 'guests' who were her allies, as if chunks of her skin weren't rotting away to pieces and sloughing from her bones, hair withering to dust as maggots crawled in the remains, "Tell sissy I said hello for me!"

          "What the fuck . . . ?" he heard Yosuke whisper, sounding sickened. Yu empathized, feeling his own stomach rebel the longer he watched this dark spectacle.

          "Alright, alright, now that everyone has become so preciously reacquainted . . ." The first woman spoke up, voice echoing again over the hall, "I believe its time I share with you what I have come to say."

          She threw her arms out, encapsulating all her allies in the gesture, most assuredly smiling beneath her mask, "Ladies and gentlemen, my high kings and queens, what you see before you is host of beings who's power rival that of even your Champions! You see them and you see the monsters of all your most frightening legends. You see them, and you see the shadows who walked in your darkest nightmares. You see them, and see the ones who starred in the fireside stories that kept you awake at night. You see them, all here before you, as real as your own flesh! And I am here to tell you . . . that they are not what you should be afraid of."

          Outside, the thunder rumbled.

          "Listen well, all of you. Something is coming. Something older than the eight kingdoms, older than Endrivan, older than even the world, a calamity none can predict or control. It has existed since time immemorial, as eternal as the stars, as unstoppable as a typhoon, a force of nature as immutable as the void. And _it is coming_." she paced slowly along the hall, watching the nobles shrink from her, a lioness amongst a herd of sheep, "You've seen the signs. You've felt the symptoms. The time is nigh, and there is no stopping the event about to take place."

          She rounded to the other side of the hall, and no one dared breath a word as the pattering of the rain intensified and the woman's volume rose with it, "The walls will break. The sky will sunder. The veil will tear. And now, on _this_ night, you will bear witness to the first quakes of this catastrophe. Quakes that will grow and ripple outward to encompass all the world until there is no place left to run. Your kingdoms will crumble. Your lands will burn. And when all that is left is the ash of a country ground to dust beneath this destruction's heel, may all you know . . ."

          Then she was looking at him, eyes a scintillating canary yellow that scorched through his skin down to his very core, and Yu felt _fear_.

          "The Night of No Stars has begun."

          Thunder crashed overhead, so loud and so close that the castle shook like a great beast was thrashing within it, lightning flashing and casting the room in coruscating shades of white and black. More screams rang out through the hall, but he could scarcely hear them.

          The woman was still looking at them, those frightening yellow irises rooting him to his spot, and he _knew_ that she knew. Who he was, who _they_ were, everything from their story to their secrets, she _knew_. There was terrible power in those eyes, a terrible madness too, one that threatened to suck him in like the undertow of the ocean and drown him if he stared too long. And yet he couldn't break away, too afraid to move, too afraid to even scream. He was clutching something tight in his hand, the only other thing grounding him in this world that wasn't those awful eyes, shaking just as hard as he was.

          He thought she would never look away, when there was a sudden flurry of movement and the familiar clang of blades ricocheted down the hall.

          The woman turned, breaking eye contact, and Yu could breathe again. Trembling, warmth returning to his stiff limbs, he finally looked to see what had happened.

          Tirin had reappeared right at the heart of the monstrous group, currently locked blade to blade with the drow man and attacking with a ferocity that rivaled even Korval's rage. Xirskam was beside him, claws raking through the air, nipping at the drow's stone-colored cloak as the other sidestepped each and every swipe, all while continuously exchanging blows with the gloaming. The rogue did not seem to care that he was surrounded by enemies, far from aid. Indeed, Yu wondered if Tirin even realized they were there, so focused was his animosity.

          "Tirin!" someone cried, and in a blink, both groups were suddenly embroiled in battle, all hell breaking loose on the ballroom floor.

          Korval charged in with a roar, fierceness matched only by Grumack's as the burly orc rushed to meet him, crashing into each other with the force of two raging bulls. Hammer and axe bit both floor and armor as the two attacked each other savagely, a mach that was terrifying to watch.

          Cahira raced forward, when Tabris intercepted her, not attacking, but making it clear that she would not let her pass. The monk paused, sliding to halt, wavering with a hesitation far removed from her usual decisive nature. Then she ground her teeth together, balled her fists, and struck. Both became nothing but a blur of white and green, movement so quick it was impossible to follow.

          Gethen had been reaching for his flute, when he was forced to backpedal away from the prismatic slash of Rhysana's rapier. The bard stared him down, a silent dare for him to try as she leveled the tip of her blade with the man's throat. Gethen did not appear worried, merely grinning as pulled loose his own weapon and matched her stance with disturbing synchronicity, brushing the edge of the obsidian black blade along Rhysana's. And then the two were fighting, sparks flying with every ferocious stab.

          The demon, Astaroth, held out a hand and drew it down as if he were pulling something out of a sheath, and Yu watched a jagged sword as tall as cottage warped into existence, tongues of flame traveling up the emerging blade and setting the runes engraved along its fuller to glow with a rusty orange light. At the same time, Nyras was already drawing back her crossbow and firing, nailing the monster in the chin.

          Magic suffused the air in the same instant, Yvir and Ylvaria summoning it to their side, winds as strong as a gale whipping through the hall and fire dancing along the tiles like entwined lovers. At the same time, the drow woman and Laila responded, entropic magic spooling in Phaedra's hand like amethystine spider silk while a swarm of pestilence gathered around the undead, a malignant halo of decay.

          Yalathas went straight for the woman, blade glowing with holy light as he aimed it straight for her chest.

          The woman turned to him, held out her hand . . . and snapped her fingers.

          And all movement ceased.

          Everyone, both Champion _and_ their foes, stood as still as statues, frozen mid-fight like mannequins posed in a museum display case. The woman looked between each, as if ignorant to her own power, tsking like a mother before a horde of unruly children, "Now, this simply will not do. Tonight was one for talk, not battle. Such headstrong spirits, it could prove most obnoxious in the future."

          She turned her head to the pale-faced kings and queens, curtsying one last time, "Apologies. My companions can be a little hot-blooded. Although, to be fair, it _was_ one of your own who instigated this. Regardless, I have come to say what I needed to say. Take my words however you wish. But know that your night is far from over."

          She stood upright and moved to stand before a frozen Yalathas, looking down into his silver eyes, "As for you . . . I imagine we shall be meeting again in the future, some time sweet and soon. Then, we may finish what was begun tonight. Until then . . . best wishes."

          She clapped her hands, and suddenly she and the rest of her allies vanished without a trace, just as the magic holding their counterparts dispersed and they were stumbling free.

          No sooner had they vanished did the nobles fly from their seats to clamber for the doors, screaming and wailing as more thunder rolled overhead. Yu and the rest stood there, winded and nearly getting swept up in the crowd of fleeing nobility, when a hand appeared on his shoulder, steadying him. Yu turned to see Yalathas, who gave him swift and curt instructions, "Go through the terrace. Behind the second pillars is the door to the servants quarters. Get back to your rooms and stay there."

          He didn't even have time to question him, because he vanished into the thickening crowd right after, no doubt searching for his friends.

          Yu took a few moments to just breath, hand still clutching the thing from before as he focused on calming his frightened nerves. But even that respite was sort-lived, as Divistan and his companions were suddenly upon them, urging them to move. He lurched unsteadily on his feet for a moment, nearly tipping over, when the thing in his hand quite alarmingly tightened in response and kept him upright.

          When he looked to see what it was, he saw that it was a hand. More specifically, he saw that it was Yosuke's hand.

          Their eyes met for a split second, surprise mirrored perfectly in the other's gaze. But it was only brief, as Divistan pushed them forward again, silent but insistent.

          Yu allowed his hand to slip away as he was herded out of the ballroom, and felt colder for it.

(*)

          The journey to their rooms felt far longer than the mere handful of minutes it truly was, a blur of running through doors and a slew of frightened faces that gave them no comfort. Outside, they could still hear the screams of the civilians, the shouts of the soldiers, all of it drowned out by the furiously falling rain.

          When at last they reached the marbled columns and festooned balconies, Yu welcomed the cold, rainy air with relish, sucking in deep breaths until the dizzying heat of the ballroom faded away.

          Their guards must have sensed their need, for they no longer pushed so strongly for them to move, allowing them a chance to breath even as the rain lashed against the curtains that had been drawn over the open breadths between the columns.

          The silence remained until Chie finally broke it, ripping her mask off and running hand through her tousled hair, voice quiet and tremulous, "My god . . . what the hell _was_ that back there?"

          "I don't know . . ." Yosuke responded, leeched of any will to even stand.

          "It was bad, whatever it was," Rise murmured, crouched against the wall and shaking, "Those . . . things . . . I don't think I've ever felt that scared since we fought Izanami . . ."

          "Their power was incredible," Naoto added, voice muted, arms curled tight around her midriff, "And that woman . . ."

          "H-her face was falling off . . ." Teddie whispered, distraught voice muffled in his arms, "Her f-face . . ."

          A collective shudder ran through the group, and it went unspoken that they all had been shaken to their very core.

          Yu knew he should say something. He knew he had to speak, to bring their spirits back up . . . but he didn't know how to do that when he felt just as scared and unsure as they did. He felt like a child again, lost and alone, without direction, without guidance. He didn't know how to fix this.

          Instead, they lapsed into silence again, thoughts drifting as the thunder rolled on.

          In the quiet, he could think. Whatever had happened . . . the Champions had _known_ the strangers that had appeared. And not in a way one knew an acquaintance. No, those quarrels had looked . . . far more deep. Far more personal. Far more _ugly_. Whatever their connections, it was clear they were _not_ pleasant ones.

          He wanted to be optimistic . . . but he knew that if this journey was to continue, this would not be the last they would see of them. And he _shivered_ at the thought.

          He let his mind wander after, soaking in the chill of the air as it breezed through the gaps in the curtains, filling his head with only the sound of the rain to distance himself from the horrors he'd witnessed on that ballroom floor.

          Until . . . Yu noticed a light.

          It wasn't lightning. It was too stable for that, too prolonged. It couldn't be moonlight, for the storm was raging on overhead, blotting out the sky and the stars. But it was there, burning just along the edge of the rumpled curtain beside him. Perhaps curious, perhaps a little crazy, Yu pushed himself from the column he'd been leaning against and crept to it. Catching the heavy material with the back of his hand, he pushed the drape aside to peer beyond.

          It was hard to see through the rain, the droplets falling so hard and fast it was like a wobbling gray sheet had been placed over the windowed ledge. It lashed at his face, cold as ice-shorn needles against his skin. But as his eyes adjusted, he could make out shapes in the murk. He could see the turrets of the castle gatehouse, as well as the rooftops of the tallest buildings in the city. Beyond that, he could just make out the heaving, churning waves of the lake below him.

          As well as the bright blue light that glowed at the lake's edge, pulsing like it were alive, an ethereal lighthouse submerged beneath the water. And all along the glow, the water around it was swirling, drawn to the light like a moth to the flames, growing larger and larger with every passing moment.

          The others had slowly gathered around the edge, wincing at the rain but too curious to be pushed back.

          "What is that?" Yosuke whispered.

          "I don't know," he replied, unable to turn away from the strange glow.

          The water continued to churn and spin, the ghostly radiance spreading out until it spanned the entire edge of the city's shore all the way to the crooked spires of rock just below them, a great glowing fin along the back of some great stony beast. Whirlpools dotted the great canvas of blue, spinning frantically, erratically, the waves crashing against the shore as the thunder roared above their heads, tumultuous and violent compared to the gentle rainfall of that morning.

          Another thunderclap. Then another. Then another. And another still.

          Yu found his eyes travelling to the sky now, brow pinching together at the far too regular beat of the clouds. Another streak of lightning lit the sky, the world below strobing white to black to white again until it was over, the rumbling peel of thunder following close on its heels. But the thunder from before remained even as the sky roared, a constant _wub-wub-wub_ that puzzled his senses. It was only as he listened closer, trying to discern what it was, that he realized not only did it have a rhythm . . . it was getting _closer_. 

          No sooner had that realization crossed his mind did the clouds above his head suddenly _explode_ as something huge and black burst through the stormy veil. There was another clap of not-thunder, and the remaining clouds tossed and turned just the same as the lake with every bellowing clap of . . .

          . . . wings.

          It was then that Yu came to a horrifying understanding, one that leeched him of his warmth just as surely as the rain . . .

          He knew exactly what this was.

          "Holy shit, is that a fucking-?!"

          Yosuke's shout was lost in the roar that followed the creature's emergence, so piercingly loud it shook the stone, shook the earth, shook their very souls. Green light hissed from the back of the beast's throat, illuminating giant fangs taller than he was, vaporous mist trailing over it's muzzle as the water evaporated in the heat of its cavernous maw. Lightning flashed, and though it was only for an instant, Yu could see a dragon more massive than he could dream of, great wings spread out over it's head like a tenebrous veil twice as wide as the ballroom had been, horns curling around it's massive head towards it's jaws, eyes and nose so deeply sunken in and lined with shadow it looked as if a monstrous skull had been affixed to it's face, a vision of death.

          He stared, transfixed with horror, that it wasn't until Rise was pulling on his arm and shrieking that he responded, looking to where her trembling finger was pointing.

          There, far below them, he saw more movement, more than he could have thought possible. Shadows that skittered under the surface of the water, shadows that did not disperse, did not merge back into the darkness. Shadows that did not sink . . .

          But instead _rose_.

          To his horror, all along the shore the whirlpools began to spit out amalgamations he could only describe as entities of the water itself, the lake seeming to come alive as numerous creatures poured forth from the heaving waves. Some were small, others were far larger, and each and every single one of them was headed for the city, a city that was packed with people woefully unprepared for the assault that was coming to their doors. And all he could do, all any of them could do, was watch.

          _And when all that is left is the ash of a country ground to dust beneath this destruction's heel, may all you know . . ._

          And just as the lake was rising, so too did the dragon descend, another roar splitting the night in time to the thunder of it's wings and the thunder of the clouds.

          _The Night of No Stars has begun._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm wakin' UP, I FEEL IT IN MY BONES, ENOUGH TO MAKE MY SYSTEM BLOW!
> 
> Chm, sorry. Hey look, a dragon. :o
> 
> Translation:
> 
> Nar Thos - No Balls.  
> Gaer zhah miild taga uss i'dol ul venor na z'han-tarth, elg'cress - There is more than one way to silence a run-away street rat, bitch."


	30. Besieged

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fuck, I'm tired.
> 
> Enjoy this battle chapter.
> 
> Toodles.

          The dragon descended quickly, too quickly, and Yu feared that none on the battlements would be able to raise a defense in time before the creature did unparalleled damage to the castle walls. Already he could feel the wind stirred by it's great wings hammering against his face, could feel the enormity of it's presence bearing down upon them like an avalanche, an unstoppable force of nature no one had a chance of evading.

          Then a sudden black mass appeared on the great stone bridge connecting the castle to the city, huge and imposing. Torchlight glinted off great claws, and Yu caught a glimmer of gold as a second roar rose up in challenge, this one familiar and igniting a spark of hope in his heart.

          At the same time, great plumes of fire jettisoned up into the sky, billowing like huge, swirling clouds that scorched away the rain and lit the world below it like a small sun. Tiruviel was it's source, her proud head upraised as golden flames erupted from her mouth, the embers licking across her golden scales and casting them in ruby. Above them, the other dragon backpedaled, the furious beating of it's wings rousing the great fires even more and sending them whirling through the air. Still, it did not escape completely, the flames singeing over it's obsidian scales and sizzling the edges of it's black wings.

          The dragon roared, and Tiruviel returned it in kind, flecks of fire still trailing from her mouth. Her legs bunched, muscles coiling tight beneath her scales, and then she sprang into the air, wings drumming powerfully and shedding water with every flap. The black dragon wheeled away from her, a spray of viscous green liquid trialing from it's fangs as it dodged her snapping jaws before plummeting down to the castle.

          Yu grabbed the person nearest to him and yelled, "GET DOWN!"

          Everyone dropped, and no sooner had they done that did the black dragon pass by their balcony. Cold air blasted through the columns, the whole stone foundation seeming to quake as the wind tore at his hair and clothes, the only sound he could hear in the chaotic flurry. His mask was ripped away, and he was half blinded by the rain forced in by the dragon's powerful wings, one hand gripping the water-slicked stone tight in an effort to keep himself from being thrown back. But they only had a moment to breathe when it was gone, because right after Tiruviel flew by as well, chasing after the other's tail. Her passing was no less turbulent, kicking up the curtains and washing the floors and walls with water and debris, her roar bouncing through the stone corridors and sending his ears ringing.

          Then she, too, was gone.

          Even with their passing, the stone continued to tremble beneath him in the aftershock, shivering as if in fear. Breathless, Yu clambered back to his feet, habitually taking stock of everyone's condition.

          No one was hurt, thankfully, but the corridor was a mess. Water pooled across the floor, and several curtains had been torn down, now laying in sodden clumps on the ground.

          Beside him, Chie was scrambling to her feet, lending a helping hand to Yukiko as she did so, "W-what the hell happened?! What's going on?!"

          "No idea, but whatever it is, it's not good," Yu replied, peering out over the ledge. The cerulean shapes of the water creatures had reached the tents now, and he could only just make out the shadows of people scurrying in the dark. Still, even from so far away, he could hear the screaming.

          "I bet those party crashers had something to do with this," Yosuke said, brow furrowed in anger.

          "That don't matter right now!" Kanji cut in, pushing aside any remaining embarrassment in light of the situation, "We gotta go help!"

          "Agreed," Yu nodded. They couldn't wallow here, hiding behind the castle walls. There were innocent people down in the city, and they had to do something!

          That was when Rise gasped in alarm, "Guys! We've got trouble!"

          She was pointing down, down to the rocky cliffs below, and Yu only had to glance to see what she was talking about. More of those creatures were crawling up the side of the cliffs, some coming right for them, moving with disturbing effortlessness as they slid up the castle foundations.

          A sudden hand gripped his shoulder tight, and he was thrust back, away from the ledge. Divistan and his fellow guardians all stepped forward, arranging themselves in a line before the balcony edge, procuring blades from their robes as they waited with faces as grim as the weathered stone. Without turning around, Divistan pointed down the hall, back to their rooms, and he didn't have to speak for Yu to understand his meaning.

          "But, what about you?" Yukiko asked, understanding as well and looking uneasy about leaving them behind.

          He dropped his hand and gave no answer, and in that was the answer itself.

          But there was no time to argue. Already, Yu could see the light the creatures gave off steadily growing brighter, caroming through the grooves of the pillared columns. They had to move.

          "Come on!" he shouted, giving the order and gesturing for everyone to follow him. He gave on glance to the shadowed quartet keeping watch, and hoped they were strong enough to fend for themselves until they returned.

          The others followed, and he gave them orders as they ran, water splashing beneath their feet, "We need our weapons and armor if we want to stand a chance against these things. Get them as quick as you can, and we'll plan from there!"

          "Leave your shirts on as your padding!" Naoto chipped in, mind no doubt flying a mile a minute, "The runes will help us understand what the others are saying, and we can get a better read of the situation with it!"

          "Good idea!" he said, catching himself on the wall as he sharply turned the corner.

          Their doors were unlocked, and he flung it open with a bang, racing for the leathers he'd left out on his bed. He pulled the pieces on faster than he ever had before even despite the dim light the lone candle shed, fingers flying on the buckles and fastenings before strapping his sword to his waist. Reaching into the pouch looped to his belt, his fingers clutched at something small, hard, and warm, something that seemed to pulse as he withdrew it from its resting place. The gem Tiruviel had given him glinted in the palm of his hand, flashing like fractured ice in the frail candlelight. He had a feeling he might be needing this very soon, and once he was sure it was secured safely in his pouch, he turned to the others.

          "Everyone ready?"

          The guys nodded, words of assent echoing in the tiny room. Taking a breath, Yu turned back to the door and stepped outside, just as the girls exited their own room in full battle garb, weapons in hand.

          They only had just enough time to come together when a loud scuffle tore their attention back to the other end of the hall. A swirling tunnel of water blasted around the corner into view, and a shape caught within it's clutches slammed into the wall of the corridor adjoining theirs. With a thrill of horror, Yu saw that it was one of the guards, who slumped down to the floor soundlessly.

          "Come on!" Yosuke shouted, charging.

          With nothing left to wait on, Yu pulled his sword free and followed, rushing around the corner and sliding into the fray that dominated the balcony.

          Three of those creatures had oozed into the corridor, their bodies undulating unstably, with barely any shape at all to their name. The torches had long since been extinguished, the only light coming from the creature's internal cores that shed the corridor in eerie, cerulean-tinted shadows that shifted like living things. The rest of the hall was drenched in total blackness, the dark hemming them in with almost claustrophobic intensity. The only definite body part Yu could make out on the creatures were the two bright blue pinpricks of light that served as their eyes, eyes that raked over their prey with an almost mad ferocity. Two of the guardians were engaging them head on, silvered swords darting into the monsters liquid flesh so quickly Yu could barely see them. The third stood back, lightning crackling around her hands as an arc of static energy shot out and ripped into the biggest one present, sparks flittering down its surging body like erratic fireflies. They were holding their own, but they were looking frazzled. Who knows how many there had been before he and his friends had arrived.

          "Yukiko, help him!" Yu said, gesturing to the downed man before turning back to the fight, trusting her to take of him. The one closest to them was small and had its back turned to them, and it would be good to get some of the pressure off their protectors.

          But any notion of planning he had went out the window when a sudden and violent motion made him turn his eyes to the window, just in time to see another tide-creature rise over the balcony ledge, sluicing through the columns like jelly before sliding back into it's whole form.

          With blue eyes burning, it swung a gelatinous fist at them.

          Yu kicked back fast, stone flying beneath his feet as the creature's pseudopod slammed into the space he'd once stood. An arrow zipped over his head as Naoto let one fly, the sharp point digging into the elemental's body, sinking until it was absorbed in full.

          Kanji, Yosuke, and Chie charged as one, with varying levels of effect. Kanji's hammer crashed into it's body with a loud splash, tearing a chunk of living liquid out of it's torso, water spraying the boy in the face. As it rounded on him, Yosuke slid in from behind, daggers darting lightning quick but doing little damage to it's gelatinous flesh.

          Chie had still forgone her staff, relying instead on her trusty legs as she round-housed the creature in the side. Then she jerked as her momentum was abruptly brought to a halt, water sliding around her leg like creeping ivy and gripping just as tight.

          "Hey! Get off!" she shouted, pulling back with all the leverage she could muster, trying to tear the water away with her hands.

          The creature paid her no mind, instead turning on Kanji and swinging furiously. One fist missed its mark by a wide margin, but the other slammed into the boy's chest with enough force to send him stumbling.

          Another arrow went flying, and by that point Yu was rushing in as well, sword singing through the air as he swung. It cut deep into the part just above Chie's leg, and he could feel his power wither, movement slowing as the water absorbed the impact. But the tendrils recoiled, just enough for Chie to pull herself free. He saw a flash of gold behind the monster, Teddie keeping well out of the monster's range as he snuck in quick blows when it's back was turned. But even with all their combined attacks, Yu could see that they had still done very little to hurt it.

          "Guys, I don't think physical attacks really work on this thing!" Rise shouted, sword in hand but dithering on the sidelines.

          "Well, we don't have a lot else to work with right now!" Yosuke shouted, hopping out of range of the creature's swipes.

          Yu ducked under another swing, sword tip clipping through what passed for the monster's leg, "We do."

          "Kinda, but unless you've figured how to do it on your own Partner, we're sunk there!" Yosuke reminded him, and Yu had to acknowledge his point. While they all had slowly begun to broach their powers and draw them out, it only ever seemed to happen when they were dueling one another. _Synergy_ , Yvir called it. Otherwise, he couldn't even call forth a spark.

          But now, if there was ever a time for the rpg trope of deux-machina to come into play, this would be the moment.

          Sliding back and letting his friends take up the fight, he took the time to breathe and concentrate, just like he had been taught.

          He could feel it. Over time, the sensation became easier to single out and focus on. But to draw it out just on his own was the tricky part now. Concentrate . . . concentrate . . .

          "YAH!"

          The cry came from Chie as the monster caught her foot in it's bubbling grasp and hurled her aside like a ragdoll, her back slamming into the balcony ledge, bending back so far her head dangled over the side. For a few heart-stopping moments, she teetered dangerously close to plummeting over the edge before her weight dragged her down to the safety of the tiled floor, where she lay struggling to rise.

          Teddie made to run for her, but in his haste he failed to consider the water pooling languidly between him and the girl. Yu could only watch as the boy's feet sharply slipped out from under him, sending him crashing to the floor with a cry and a splash. And, seeing easy prey, the monster turned to both of them, eyes burning blue and wrathful. Without pause, it raised both fists over its head, intent on crushing both to powder where they lay.

          Yu was already running. Water splashed up to his knees, soaking through his armor and chilling to the bone, but he powered on. He could see Yosuke sprinting too, as quick as he had always been, a dark blur within the rain-swept corridor.

          Their eyes met, and without having to say a word, they both knew what they had to do.

          Breaking away, Yosuke slid effortlessly to the creature's right side, just as Yu slid into position on the other. In perfect unison and with nothing but the creature between them, they lunged forward and struck as if they were attacking one another.

          Brilliance flashed between himself and the brunette across from him, who's face was just visible behind the shivering sheet of water composing the elemental's body. At once, lightning snapped over his head in a dazzling streak right as a torrential wind spun out in a violent blast. The ripping current slammed into Yu hard, yanking him off his feet and sending him skidding across the waterlogged floor. When at last he stopped, he coughed and gasped for air, rolling onto his side and pushing himself up onto an elbow as he blinked away stars. Though his head spun dizzyingly, he was coherent enough to think that, yes, wind-based attacks were _just_ as painful as he remembered them to be.

          But it had done it's work. Caught between the two attacks, the creature had no choice but to take it as it's body was shredded by storm and gale, twisting and writhing across the ground in agony. It wasn't until the last spark had faded that the monster's will finally gave out, the light of its eyes vanishing as its body collapsed in on itself. The freed water rolled and splattered across the floor, crashing against the walls like waves against a rocky shore. It washed over him as well, rising as high as his chest before it slowly swelled back down, chillingly cold but far less painful than the creature's fists had been.

          "Senpai, you alright?!"

          He blinked as Kanji suddenly appeared in front of him, clasping his shoulder and looking him over in concern, "Hey, can you hear me? What's two plus two?"

          Despite the throbbing in his head and the aching throughout his body, Yu couldn't stop a smile, "Fish."

          Poor Kanji just looked alarmed, "Uh, Yukiko-senpai, I think he's cracked something!"

          Yu waved at him, shaking his head, "No, I'm fine. It was . . . a joke."

          He struggled to rise, gratefully accepting Kanji's offered hand to help him back to his feet. The younger boy didn't let go, instead allowing himself to be used as crutch, which Yu was also very grateful for. The world hadn't quite stopped spinning yet.

          He took stock of the situation as Kanji helped him over to the rest of the group. The first thing he noticed was that it was much darker than he recalled, so dark he could only make out his friends silhouettes at first. The second was that when his eyes adjusted, he saw that their guardians were with them now too, and it was only then he put two and two together and realized that the hall was completely deserted of monsters. For now, the situation here had been contained.

          Yosuke was on his feet as well, looking a little singed but no worse for wear. The one Yukiko had helped was back on their feet as well, and he could see the rest passing out small vials to his injured friends. Seeing him up, Divistan stepped closer, hand held out and open. In his palm, Yu could make out another vial, the liquid within barely visible in the gloom.

          "Thank you," Yu said, knowing better than to question the contents as he accepted the gift. Biting the cork out with his teeth, he tipped it back and drank it in one gulp, the potion within going down smooth. It had barely any flavor aside from a hint of mint, and he felt his mouth tingle as he swallowed, a tingle that then spread to the rest of his aching body and soothed away the pain.

          He pulled away from Kanji, now sure on his feet again, before addressing everyone present, "Is everyone alright?"

          "We are, thanks to you and Yosuke," Chie said, hands braced against the small of her back and stretching it out, smiling at him, "That was a good combo! I bet that thing didn't even see it coming!"

          "Good thing it didn't, or you two would have been in trouble," Rise said, but she looked downcast. With a huff, she glowered at her sword, "Ugh, I wish I was better at using this thing! I felt so useless . . ."

          "Hey, you've only been practicin' for a week," Kanji put in, not unkindly, "It takes time."

          "But time is something we don't have," Naoto added, tone serious. Her eyes were trained over the balcony, staring down at the city, "We're not out of danger yet."

          Everyone sobered up as they followed her gaze. The swirling tide pools that had formed in the lake had ground to halt, leaving nothing but swathes of bubbles in their wake, and the unearthly light they'd shed had flickered out perhaps ages ago. But the beasts they had unleashed were still running rampant, and through the lashing sheets of rain, the dim, orange smolder of unchecked fires could be seen. The spots appeared no brighter than candles to them, but he could only imagine how intense and wild they must be up close. Up above, somewhere in the clouds, Yu could hear roars as loud as the thunder and see fire breach through the vapors before dissolving into black, sodden embers that fell with the rain.

          "We've gotta get down there . . ." Yosuke murmured, hands clenched around his knives.

          "Those people need our help . . ." Yukiko agreed with somber gravity, but in her eyes was a familiar spark he'd seen before.

          Yu felt his resolve harden, and he turned to level his gaze on Divistan, "I know you were ordered to protect us, but we can't just sit here and watch this. And I don't think you can, either. So please, let's go together and help, in any way we can."

          Even now, it was hard to really tell what Divistan and his companions were thinking. But Yu was certain something passed between them as they turned to look at one another, something they _all_ shared.

          It only took a moment, but when Divistan at last faced him again, it was to nod in agreeance and gesture down the hallway.

          Relief flushed through him, "Thank you."

          "Well then, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Chie shouted, and like that, everyone was turning to move, falling behind their protectors as they took the lead.

          Yu was about to follow, when a small hand stopped him. When he turned, it was to find Teddie staring up at him, blue eyes filled with worry and fear, "Sensei . . . are more people going to get hurt? Like at . . . at Sedgeridge?"

          A sobering reminder, and one Yu couldn't fault the boy for considering. But now they could do something, and Yu didn't hesitate to remind him as he placed a hand on the blonde's shoulder, "Not if we can help it."

(*)

          The palace was disturbingly silent as they made their way to the front, the guards having been dispatched to the frontlines to defend the gates and the city. From time to time, he'd see a few running to and fro and escorting nobles, but other than that, the once lively and bustling fortress was still. Of their counterparts, there was no sign.

          The castle entryway was barren, but the front doors were wide open, and beyond they could all hear the familiar sounds of a clash.

          Their guardians made a beeline for the doors, taking up a position at the head where they could better defend them if need be. With little other option, they followed, hearts in their throats but determined to see this through to the end.

          Beyond the castle doors was a large, smooth expanse of marbled floor carved straight out of the cliff itself, a half-moon shaped terrace that was open to the elements save for the thick wall circling its perimeter . The ground was slick with water, rain continually hammering the stone so hard it rippled and bounced. The lone portcullis across the front doors was all the separated the castle from the bridge, where its steel gate would usually be closed to the chaos beyond. Now, however, it was flung open wide, and the terrace was alive with the fighting shapes of men and women against numerous lake-born attackers. Battle cries and screams carried high over the rain, swords, battle axes, hammers, and spears flashing between the huge, undulating forms of the elementals. Fire, ice, or other flares of magic would flash over the battlefield here and there, but they were far fewer, and from the parapets above, archers rained down arrows into the heaving mass of enemies.

          Three of the elementals noticed them arrive, and immediately rushed to greet them. Their guardians ran ahead, meeting the monster's charge with a barrage of quick sword swipes and spells.

          "Stay together!" Yu called to his friends, raising his voice over the tumultuous sounds of battle, "Don't let them separate you!"

          And then his world became a whirl of combat. They'd all fought in hair-raising situations before, but never with so many other humans around, and with so much happening at once. But his short training served him well, helping him stay on his toes despite the rain clouding his vision and the water slicking the stone beneath his feet. Every thrust and swing connected with his intended targets, moving quick enough to dodge and only taking one hit to his arm that undoubtedly left a bruise. Time lost meaning for him here, and he could have been fighting for minutes or hours, it all felt the same.

          He ducked out of range of another attack, rushing to the left and swiping the beast in the side. True, his attacks alone may not do much, but it still weakened them enough for other fighters with better weapons to take them out. As if to prove it, several glimmering missiles of pure magic shot over his head the same time he jumped back, slamming into the elemental he was fighting and sundering it's body in two. It collapsed, water sloshing up to Yu's knees, and he took the reprieve he was given to examine his surroundings.

          There was less heaving and shouting from the knights now, and far less creatures than before, it seemed. But every now and again, through the twisting, writhing shapes of fighting forms, he could see bodies laying strewn across the floor. They were not moving, and he forced himself to look away before nausea could overwhelm him.

          His friends were still together, thankfully, as well as two of their protectors. Of the others, he could not see, and he hoped that they were all right.

          That was when a roar pierced the air, and unbidden, Yu's eyes shot to the sky.

          The black dragon had broken through the clouds again, trails of vapor sloughing off it's wings like smoke as it nose-dived to the earth below. Tiruviel took longer to appear, and by the time she did, the black dragon was already swooping over the bridge, and clearing the rest of the distance quick.

          Cries of alarm rose up all around him, his own command to find shelter becoming lost in the panicked din. A body barreled into him from behind, knocking him to the floor and stunning him for a few moments as his head collided with the stone. His ears rang, drowning out every other noise, head pounding with pain. Wincing, he struggled and stumbled to his feet, hand going to the throbbing spot as he looked up again. His vision was blurred, rain or wound, he didn't know, and his hearing had not quite recovered yet. But the huge, black mass that now perched upon the barrier, the gate smashed beneath its claws, could not be mistaken.

          And if he saw rightly, the bright, thallium burn of it's single green eye was focused on him.

          He felt a hand on his shoulder, a muted, unintelligible voice calling out to him, but then the beast was already pouncing. The terrace was huge, but for a dragon of such immensity, it took nothing but a single for it to clear the gap. The ground shook violently with it's landing, rocking him back to his knees, half-afraid the entire terrace would break away from its foundation and plummet to the rocky crags below.

          That was when Yu finally noticed the claw. As thick as a tree truck, sable black and curved like an eagle's talon, it speared through the marble as if it were butter. It's diamond sharp edge was a mere foot from his face, so close he could see his own reflection in the ebony sheen. Slowly, his eyes crept up, and up, and up, neck straining until he at last came eye-to-eye with dragon itself. Terror gripped his throat like a brutish, choking hand, heart pounding so fast he wondered if it was beating at all. His hand scrambled for his pocket, where Tiruviel's gem lay hidden, the only thing that gave him a sliver of hope of surviving this encounter.

          Another roar, and Yu could just see the golden sheen of Tiruviel's magnificent scales as she alighted above the terrace, wings beating and snarling but not quite loosing her fire just yet.

          " _Nyverak!_ " Tiruviel roared, molten eyes burning menacingly, the wind of her wings lashing against Yu's face, "Your fight is with _me!_ "

          The black dragon snorted, fangs glinting into view as it spoke in reply, deep voice rumbling through the marble beneath his legs, "Ha, indeed. I am simply making use of my assets . . . and putting them to my advantage."

          Yu's fingers finally clasped around the diamond he had, wrenching it free with a breath of relief. But then, without warning, a blackness suddenly overcame him, cutting out any and all light as an unknown force closed over his head. Something slid underneath his body, something hard and cold and lumpy, sealing away any escape he could have made.

          Then, with just as little warning, he was thrown to the floor as whatever had him suddenly and sharply jerked up. He had just enough time to cry out when he felt the diamond slip through his fingers before his voice was lost in the howl of the wind, the glimmer of his only protection vanishing from sight and leaving him in darkness. But even closer than the wind, he could hear the loud, steady thrum of beating wings, and it was only then that he understood what was happening.

          He was in the dragon's paw. And the dragon was _flying_.

          The realization alone was enough to make him sick with fear, but the twisting, jarring turns of the dragon's steep ascent certainly did not help. It felt like gravity itself had turned against him, keeping him pinned and helpless as seconds stretched by like hours. His heart was in his throat, and it was all he could do to just _hold on,_ to keep from being slammed around like a child's toy.

          It felt like eternity before the dragon landed again, and he could hear stone crack and groan. The paw clutching him suddenly turned around, sending Yu falling into it's palm with a painful thud as the silvered claws finally opened again, the black talons like bars of a prison cell.

          Some part of him severely wished they'd stayed closed.

          The black dragon had taken to roost upon one of the tallest towers the castle had to offer, free claws gripping the turreted spires, wings flaring out over it's horned head. The city stretched out below him far away, _so_ far away, and he felt his stomach heave, unconsciously kneeling lower in fear of falling. Yu could see Tiruviel as well, floating just before them, teeth bared and looking _furious_.

          "He has not to do with this, Nyverak! Release him!" she hissed, rain evaporating in the heat her muzzle emitted.

          Nyverak didn't seem to care for her demands, lazily looking out over the city and speaking conversationally, "Humans. Such weak, pithy creatures. And yet, there are so many strange tales that circulate about them. One stole a life back from death itself, one brought down a nation with naught but the sword on their back, and yet another ascended to the stars and slew a god."

          The paw beneath Yu moved, holding him up as if he were nothing but a curio. The dragon's maw was stretched into a smirk, green eye alight with mockery as he asked, "What do you think, Tiruviel? If I let this one go, would it fly? I hear several of you Champions can."

          The only ground beneath him began to tilt dangerously to one side, and Yu had to scramble to hold on.

          "NO!" Tiruviel jerked forward, jaw snapping, eyes lit with alarm, "That one is but a child! He is no Champion!"

          The tilting stopped, "Oh? Well, then, you won't feel so poorly should he die then, no? A mere sheep compared to that. But . . ." the dragon's eye burned with greed, conniving, "I _could_ be persuaded to allow this one to leave unharmed. And even all the rest of these miserable whelps. If you agree to one thing."

          Tiruviel's eyes narrowed, "What?"

          "Swear to forsake these lands and all who dwell within it," at Tiruviel's disbelieving stare, Nyverak smirked, "Ah, you wonder why I don't ask for your life instead? I'll tell you. Dying is too simple a punishment. I want you to live as I have lived, disgraced and forgotten, watching the land you strived so hard to defend fall to my keeping. To live like that, well . . . _that_ is punishment befitting your crimes against me. And I will _savor_ it."

          Yu could see that Tiruviel wanted to fight against him, against his demands. But when her eyes met his, he knew she would not. She _would_ give in to save his life.

          And it wasn't fair, because he could see she must have been winning before this! Nyverak had a great deal more wounds than she did. He must have decided to resort to more underhanded tactics in order to win.

          Yu couldn't sit by like this. He could now, _would_ not, play the meek, helpless civilian in this game! But what could he do? Where could he strike that would distract the dragon enough to give Tiruviel an opening?

          He looked down at the paw holding him, and thought he might have an answer. The scales on the underside of Nyverak's toes were far smaller, far _weaker_ , than the hard plates of ebony coating it's back and arms. Maybe . . . just maybe . . .

          "Well? What say you?" the black dragon asked, voice rasping like a serpent's as his tongue flicked out into the open, as if to taste Tiruviel's despair.

          The golden dragon narrowed her eyes in a scowl, glaring for a few paltry moments before finally closing her eyes and looking away, "I . . ."

          Nyverak grinned. And it was then, in the dragon's moment of victory, that Yu seized his chance. Hefting his sword over his head, he closed his eyes, swallowed his fear, and plunged it deep into the crook of the dragon's toes.

          Nyverak hissed, paw jerking on reflex and dislodging both him and the blade embedded in his flesh. For a few dizzying moments, he was flying and falling, the world spinning incoherently around him in a blur of black, green, and gold.

          And then another paw was encasing him, but this one shone of metallic sunlight, warm and strong and unflaggingly gentle despite it's enormous size.

          Yu heard a crack as Tiruviel's tail lashed out and smacked into Nyverak's jaw, leaving a bloody welt that bled black in the darkness. Without pause, the golden dragon turned and began to descend, Yu clinging tight to her scales as the ground rushed up to meet them.

          Another roar split the night, rife with rage and vitriol, and suddenly Tiruviel's graceful dive vanished as Nyverak dropped onto her back, claws digging deep into her flesh and sending them all plummeting wildly to the earth below.

          Yu couldn't be sure what happened in those next few moments. There was a spoken word, a feeling of weightlessness encompassing his body, and the paws clutching him to safety releasing him to the sky.

          But he did not fall as he had expected. Instead, he floated down, a feather in the wind and just as light, safe even in the air.

          "Whoa . . ." he couldn't quite stop the breathy exclamation as he held out his arms, trying to control his descent.

          He did not have the opportunity to wonder for long. The sound of a great, deafening crash and the crack of stone brought him back to reality as he looked own again, only to see dust rising up to meet him. It seemed to take forever for it to blow clear, and when it did, he gasped at what he saw.

          Tiruviel and her adversary both lay collapsed on the great stone bridge, her wing and arm lolling inertly over the side. The pale masonry beneath her was cracked and broken, split like axe-shorn log, pieces of it falling away into the darkness of the crags below.

          "Tiruviel!" he shouted, hoping she could hear, thrusting his arms out and down in an attempt to hasten his fall.

          But no matter what he did, he could not seem to go any faster than this. Helpless, he could only watch as the black shape of Nyverak twitched and shuddered, until a great head rose up once again. The dragon's left horn had snapped away in the fall, and he limped as he rose back to his feet, blood dribbling from his fangs. Shifting his weight to his right leg, Yu saw him open his other claw, where something green glittered through the murk.

          Thankfully, Tiruviel began to come too, head swaying as she rolled onto her front. Hissing, she clambered back to her feet, eyeing Nyverak suspiciously but still more than ready to fight. One of her wings hung limply at her side, useless, and even from hear he could hear how jagged her breathing was. That fall had not been kind to her.

          Then he heard something else. A chant, rising up over the thunder and rain, deep and cold and chilling Yu to the core.

          And it's source was Nyverak.

          The green light in Nyverak's paw suddenly burst out in an aura of energy, black and emerald lightning lashing out in a violent maelstrom of light. The crackling net swerved right for Tiruviel, who was unable to dodge the attack and was forced to endure it as the lashing tendrils crashed into her.

          Her roar of agony was like nothing he'd ever heard before, drowning out everything, even Nyverak's endless chanting, even his own scream. And it grew worse as each and every rope of black magic seemed to hook through her very being and began to pull free a white, luminous light from within.

          The battle only lasted for moments, Tiruviel fighting to keep that light within as Nyverak struggled to tear it out, but it felt like an eternity as he watched everything from above.

          Where was Yalathas? Where was _anyone_?! They needed them _here!_

          But no one came. No one heroically appeared. No valiant hero to swoop in and save the day as Tiruviel's will began to crumble, the light pulled farther and farther away from her with every passing heartbeat.

          Yu could only imagine Nyverak's smile when, with one last final heave, the wicked chains snapped back as one and dragged the brilliance with it, sucking it down into the small green light in the black beast's hand.

          And Tiruviel collapsed.

          His feet finally, _finally_ , touched stone, and Yu broke into a sprint as he ran to the fallen dragon. The bridge was massive, almost seventy feet in width and twice as long, and his progress felt far too slow moving across it no matter how much his tired legs protested. He didn't even know what he could do. His sword and gem were both gone, and he was still far to weak to draw out the full potential of his persona in the real world.

          But he had to try.

          Tiruviel's form easily dwarfed his own, but that did not deter him from searching for any signs of life at all. A rise and fall of her chest, the beat of a massive heart beneath his fingers, something, anything at all!

          But there was nothing. There was nothing . . .

          "End your feeble hopes, boy," Nyverak said with a sneer as he fell to his knees, "She will not be returning to this world anytime soon."

          No. No!

          "What did you do?" he hissed, anger burning thorugh his fear as he rounded on the beast, " _What did you do?!_ "

          Nyverak snorted, like Yu were just a bug beneath his notice. With deliberate slowness, he weaved a spell with his claw that melted away some of his wounds before  holding up his prize; a green gem as flawless as a diamond, "I gave her a punishment befitting her crimes. Now, she will stay forever as my prisoner, another gem amidst my horde as the lands she once protected fall under my reign. Speaking of . . ."

          His eyes glanced over the burning city, and the creatures still roaming its streets, "I will have to clean this mess out, now that this land is finally mine. And, for your rather impetuous attitude . . ."

          The dragon rounded on him, and Yu was once again reminded how underpowered he really was in the face of such a monster, "I believe I shall start with you."

          Green light lit the back of it's throat, acid dripping through its fangs, and Yu closed his eyes.

          But the sound he heard was not the dragon loosing it's breath weapon upon him. Instead, he heard a trumpet, loud, rancorous, and seeming to echo out across the entire field.

          The ground shook as the dragon screeched, stone cracking as he stumbled sideways.

          At first, Yu didn't understand what had happened. Not until a figure suddenly landed in front of him, garbed in silver armor and wielding a sword of crystal, with wings of metallic silver flaring out behind them, each feather a glinting blade as true as any steel.

          Yu couldn't even be bothered by it, because his relief was far too great, "Yalathas-san!"

          The silver-eyed warrior glanced at him over his shoulder, a sad look on his face, "I'm sorry it took us so long to arrive. But we're here now, and we will not allow this creature to do any more damage. You have my oath on that."

          The sound of hooves clacking on stone pierced the air, and Yu saw Korval and Nyras riding in from the side, Rhysana and Ylvaria riding with them. Cahira was keeping pace on her own, staff drawn at her side, ice chasing after her heels. Wind buffeted the bridge more strongly than before, Yvir taking position above them all with Aife clinging to his shoulder, currents of air whipping around him like a typhoon as ribbons of waters were drawn in and forced to dance within the powerful streams.

          A shadow appeared next to Yu, a hand on his shoulder that drew his attention back to the ground. Tirin was next to him, his normal teasing joviality replaced with genuine concern that spoke louder than even words, "Are you alright?"

          No, not really, but he was too choked up to say it now. Tirin seemed to understand anyway, and he rose to his feet, "Don't worry. We'll fix this. Now get out of here. It's dangerous."

          By now, all of the Champions had encircled the great dragon, weapons drawn, and Yu already knew where this was going before the dragon even spoke,

          "Ah, the Champions. I wondered when I'd have to contest with you," Nyverak grinned, green eye flashing dangerously as he lowered into a predatory crouch, "Let's see how worthy of those titles you _really_ are."

          Yalathas raised his sword in answer, "Then come and find out."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, dragon fight?
> 
> Dragon fight.
> 
> Also, oh no, Tiruviel! :o
> 
> Almost done with this arc! Hope you're all ready! :)


	31. Mythic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that was fast. :P
> 
> Anyhoo, here's a dragon fight! :D
> 
> Also, queue up some Two Steps From Hell while you're at it, huh?
> 
> Enjoy!

          Yu had just enough time to process the acid light tainting Nyverak’s fangs as the dragon prepared to strike when a pair of large, cold hands suddenly grabbed him by his shoulders. At once, his world became washed with darkness, coils of shadow winding around his entire body like a shroud.

          Then it faded, and after a bewildered look-around, he realized that he was on the other end of the bridge close to the castle gates. The hands released him, and Yu didn’t even have to glance to know who it was.

          Still, he looked, and Xirskam gave him only a curt, formal half-nod before dissipating back into darkness. There was a clatter where the Shade had stood, and Yu bent down to collect what had been dropped; a simple, steel short sword, hardly his favorite weapon, but leagues better than being unarmed.

          Slipping it into the too-big scabbard, Yu jogged over to the ledge of the bridge, peering out between the stone parapets to the city below. As far as he could see from his position, the elemental’s numbers had dwindled considerably, the eerie lights only travelling in small, broken pockets now. Dark masses carrying torches made rounds through the streets, the soldiers of eight different human armies moving with far more organization and control than the panicked scattering of the peasants and driving back what was left. It looked as if things were finally under control down there, and he couldn’t be more glad.

          A roar rose up in the distance, a strident, terrifying sound that served as a reminder that danger still remained, and Yu turned his head to the right.

          Though it was over a hundred feet away, Yu could quite clearly see Nyverak as the great dragon buffeted his enormous wings at the Champions, upraised claw crackling with magic and snarling like a rabid dog. Even from there, he cut a terrifying image, a living bulwark of ebon scales and slivered claws. As Yu watched, the magic around Nyverak’s paw flickered out, and a fetid green mist enveloped the bridge where they were fighting, bubbling like a volcanic morass and just as foul.

          He could not see beyond it, and that frustrated him as he gripped the hilt of his new sword. Yu knew that rushing in blindly was a fool’s move, would only serve in getting him killed. God, how he despised this helplessness! If only he could summon his persona, _any_ persona! Just s _omething_ that could help stop this, something that could . . . that could prevent tragedies like Tiruviel from happening!

          “SENPAI!”                                                                                                                       

          He’d only half-turned at the cry before a body slammed hard into his own, knocking the wind from him. Arms constricted tight around his midriff, the body against him shaking with sobs.

          His face fell, returning Rise’s embrace with an understanding solemnity even as the rest of his friends gathered around him like a flock of panicked birds.

          He felt Chie clutch his arm, hair a mess and bleeding from a shallow cut on her neck, eyes gleaming with concern, voice thick, “Oh my god, are you alright?! We saw you fall, and we thought-!”

          "Do you hurt anywhere? Is anything broken?" Yukiko asked with a frantic edge, slim fingers probing gently, but urgently, for any injuries at all.

          "Fuck, that dragon just snatched you right up! We didn't know what to _do!_ " Kanji stammered, his hand gripping the wet plaster of his hair in shock, face taut with harried fright.

          Another pair of arms cinched at his waist, and Yu didn't have to look to know it was Teddie even as the boy let out a low, teary keen, "Senseiiii . . ."

          "Senpai, please speak to us," Naoto said, and though she was still the most outwardly composed of anyone, Yu could easily discern the plea in her voice and the worried gleam in her eyes.

          "Guys!" Yosuke shouted over them all, and Yu didn't miss the protective downturn of his lips as he pushed people back, "Give him some space! Let him breathe!"

          Everyone . . . their faces were so scared, though he very easily understood why. _He'd_ been absolutely terrified. But it would have been so much worse if he'd had to watch one of his friends be carted off by a monster.

          "I'm . . ." he coughed, voice feeling dry and hoarse even despite the water all around them. Still, for their sakes, he tried to smile, "I'm alright. Not even a scratch."

          Whether they noticed the tightness behind his lips or not, it seemed to work. Slowly, slowly, his friends relaxed. Some began to surreptitiously wipe at their eyes, others exhaled with relief, while the two currently entwined around his body just held on tighter. He met Yosuke's, and after a quiet moment, the other boy sighed and half-heartedly punched him in the arm, "I know you couldn't really help it, partner . . . but _fuck_ , don't ever do that to me again . . ."

          He tried to keep his voice lighthearted, but the strain was obvious, as well as the slight tremble Yu knew his friend would want him to ignore.

          "I'll try," he whispered, hoping he would be able to keep his word in the future.

          Behind them, more roaring and distant shouts continued to rip through the air, loud enough to draw their eyes to the massive fog that swept over the bridge. Just before it, though it was hard to see in the shadowed, rain swept darkness, Tiruviel's still, lifeless form rested, and a fresh spear of guilt plunged through Yu's heart.

          "Is that . . . i-is she really . . . ?" Rise's voice was quiet, so quiet he could barely hear her over the rain, thick and ragged and worn.

          Yu hung his head, and that was all the answer he had to give.

          "Son of a bitch . . ." Chie growled, hurt giving way to anger that leaked through her tone, fists trembling with suppressed rage, "Son of a _bitch_."

          "I can't believe she's . . ." Yukiko trialed off, eyes falling to the puddles at her feet.

          "Damn it . . ." Yosuke breathed, looking sharply to the side.

          Yu could almost feel their pain like a physical burn against his skin. He felt it raw against his own heart, his own soul. If only he'd been stronger . . .

          "Why does this always happen?"

          Teddie's voice broke through the rain and the distant cacophony of battle, watery and sad and lost, "W-we used to be able to do so much, b-but ever since . . . e-ever since we c-came here, everything g-goes wrong! Everywhere we go! T-Tiruviel-" his voice hitches, trips on the name, " _Everyone_ keeps saying w-we'll get stronger, b-but . . . b-but . . ."

          Whatever else he had left to say became lost in a piteous sob, one that tears at them all. Pity is there, but so is understanding, and frustration. For all they'd improved, _they still weren't good enough_ , and that was costing lives. Lives they could have saved if only they had their personas.

          But their time of somber, grief-stricken reflection came to an end when, on the other side of the bridge, the putrid fog suddenly roiled and twisted as Nyverak burst up into the sky. With two powerful flaps, the great dragon cleared a good quarter of the bridge before dropping back to ground, so close he could feel the stone shake beneath him. With the grace of a cat, Nyverak twisted around to face where the fog was dissipating, acid pooling over his fangs before erupting out in a huge, thick line with all the force of a geyser. Flecks of the acidic slime splattered against the stone caught in it's line of fire, eating clean through the marble and leaving ugly, pitted holes all across the bridge.

          Instinct kicked in fast, "Everyone, get back to gates! _Hurry!_ "

          The shelter of the portcullis was thankfully not too far, even if it was damaged and broken. The terrace was a mess of torn and blackened stone, fallen blades, arrows, and the darker, more disquieting shapes of bodies. But of the elementals that once ravaged the place there was no sign. The remaining soldiers had gathered along the outer wall and the remains of the gates, coming to observe the battle being waged upon the bridge that not too long ago served as a passage for kings, eyes blown wide and gaping with awe. He still could not see their protectors amidst the crowd, and that made him worry.

          Climbing over the heaps of sundered stone, Yu and the rest of his friends positioned themselves behind columns both fallen and standing, where they could better observe the battle as it raged on. His heart was pounding furiously, shivering from cold yet feeling far too hot within the confines of his armor as adrenaline continued to surge through his body with every savage roar.

          The first Champion he saw was Yvir, swooping in from the sky, far outfield and out of range of the dragon's snapping jaws. With unerring concentration, the sylph swept his hand out in a large arc, wind trailing out from his fingertips in a powerful and scalding blast. The scorching gust peeled away the rain in its path, slamming into the dragon's back so forcefully Nyverak teetered to stay standing. Small blue flames licked over the dragon's scales before the winds died, charred holes forming in his wings like burning parchment as the delicate membrane was seared to ash.

           At the same time, two other shapes emerged into view. Korval was easy to distinguish, his huge, terrifying form a battering ram as he brought his hammer down on the dragon's foot, striking anywhere he could reach scaly flesh and only missing once. The pauldron of his left shoulder was worn down, the spikes eaten away by acid, and a huge rent had been torn in the breastplate of his armor. Yu could only imagine the damage underneath, but regardless, the half-orc powered on.

          In tandem, Cahira broke from his side, a green blur as she shot up the dragon's opposite leg in defiance of gravity to thrust her staff into the soft crook of his elbow. It was hard to tell how many times the monk struck, but ice coalesced rapidly around the dragon's scales, cracking with every jerk of Nyverak's arm.

          A shadow appeared behind the dragon, well in _their_ line of sight but not Nyverak's as a cascade of glimmering shards were set loose into the dragon's unprotected abdomen, a spell he recalled seeing once before. In sync with Tirin's spell, four golden bolts went flying, two striking the underside of the dragon's neck, one in the crook of his jaw, and the last just before the tender tissue of his eye. Blood welled from the wounds, black in the dark and running wild with the rain. He couldn't see Nyras, but he didn't have to know it was her. Another soul he did not see was Rhysana, but he could hear her strong, powerful voice singing over the chaos and lending strength to her companions.

          Nyverak screeched, eyes livid with unfettered rage as he turned to attack. Without hesitation, his back leg raked back over the stone, and Tirin was unable to move quickly enough to avoid it. He went flying, hitting the ground with a cry and rolling to a stop a good ten feet from the actual fight. Xirskam appeared beside him, helping him to his feet even as the dragon turned it's sights on his other enemies.

          With a snarl, he lashed out with both claws at Korval, who dodged one but not the second. The huge talons razed over his armor with a horrific screech of tearing metal, limey tints of acid eating away at what remained all the way down to the flesh. Without pause, the dragon's head then snaked down and snapped at Cahira, nearly taking her head off but thankfully instead only clipping her in the shoulder. But even from here Yu, could hear Cahira's shout as the acidic saliva coating the dragon's fangs dissolved her flesh down to bone.

          But Nyverak wasn't done. His wings flared out in out quick, violent thrusts, but it was hard to tell who he was aiming for. Even so, he could tell they were powerful, the rain churning in the wind generated by the strong strokes. Then, with a deft and quick swing of his hips, Nyverak's tail swept out in a large arc that caught all of them in it's grasp. Stone cracked and turned to dust beneath the crushing appendage, the once mighty parapets being swept away and leaving nothing but a huge, gaping hole open to dizzying blackness beyond. The dust was tremendous, spreading out in a heavy, choking cloud the color of pale ash that seemed to mute whatever sounds remained. It tickled his throat and made him cough, the taste dry and harsh and laden with grit. Hands clutching the molded rock beneath his fingers with almost bone breaking force, Yu searched desperately for any signs of life, fear burning higher than ever.

          _No, we can't lose them too!_ he thought frantically, with half a mind to run out into danger to search despite his instincts _screaming_ for him not to.

          The rain swept the dust away quickly, to reveal Nyverak still raging on the bridge, trying vainly to bite an evasive Yalathas out of the sky. The paladin was soaring on those same wings of metallic silver, the sword-sharp primaries gouging through Nyverak's scales whenever he flew by. For good measure, he'd thrust his own sword deep, the crystal blade trialing holy light even with the crimson staining it's length.

          At the dragon's feet, Korval was still hammering away relentlessly, even though he looked far more battered than before. Even from his position, Yu could tell some of his wounds were bad, to the point where he wondered how the half-orc was standing. But the barbarian didn't look pained at all. In fact, he just looked _furious_ , and that fury was channeled in every swing.

          Tirin was up as well, thankfully looking like he'd dodged the tail and escaping with only claw marks and bruises. He still had not drawn his daggers, instead relying on magic as he shadow-walked from one space to the next, keeping on the move and away from the dragon's wrath.

          Of Cahira and Nyras, he could not see.

          What he _did_ see was an intense halo of orange light drew his eyes, to find Ylvaria standing proud amidst the ruin. Her cloak was gone, flaring out instead as wings of burning fire that refused to bow to the rain, with flickering feathers of orange and yellow all trimmed with azure blue. Her holy symbol was in her hand, a magnificent aura of warmth radiating from it and from her, rushing out in a wave of healing magic that knit the Champions wounds closed in a matter of seconds.

          Five bright, scintillating streams of pure energy blasted down from above, slamming dead on into the dragon's chest in an explosion of brilliance. Spitting mad, but also flagging, Nyverak pointed a great claw at Yvir, and a thin ray of black light shot out from the digit. It hit Yvir, who could not twist out of the way in time, and Yu could see the man writhe as the dark energy encompassed him. When it ended, Yvir dropped.

          Yu lurched forward out of pure reflex, as if he could sprout wings then and there and save him. But luckily for him, someone up there already did have wings, and was diving fast after the sylph. For seconds that lasted entirely too long, Yalathas chased after Yvir with the gap between them inching closed bit by bit, brow knitted in hard concentration.

          Then they both vanished over the side of the bridge, and could not be seen anymore.

          "Oh no," someone whispered, not one of his friends.

          "Did he fall?"

          "What happened?"

          "Can anyone see?"

          If there were answers within the murmurs, he did not hear them, because now Nyverak was turning, acid gushing from his mouth. It pooled across the bridge, a lake near as large as the black dragon himself, spilling over the sides and gushing around the Champions legs. They were all moving to get out of it, the bubbling mire no doubt burning worse than fire, but that distraction was all Nyverak needed.

          Wings flaring, the black dragon leapt over the side and began to fly away.

          "NO!" he shouted. He still had the gem that had taken Tiruviel! If he got away now, Yu knew with certainty there would be no chance of saving her again!

          In desperation, he reached inside and searched for Izanagi, for anyone, begging, _pleading_ , but only a stirring was his answer. A stirring that could do nothing to help him, nothing at all.

          He heard the sharp _twang_ of bows, the archers and Naoto firing into a sky paling grey with the coming dawn, but only a few reached their retreating mark. As the arrows plunged down into darkness, Yu felt his hope begin to die.

          Then a flash of silver caught his eye, a streak like starlight over the lake that just as soon shot up into the sky in pursuit of the great beast.

          A smile came unbidden as he recognized Yalathas, with Yvir at his side, the sorcerer weaving magic between his fingers even in chase. At once, the air around the dragon pulsated, and suddenly Nyverak was dragged down as if a great chain had been attached to him, eviscerated wings beating madly to stay afloat.

          Then Yalathas was upon him, crystal sword drawn as he slashed it through the dragon's gut. Roaring, Nyverak turned and spat, more missiles of pure force flying from his claw tips in an effort to dissuade pursuit. But in the scramble to stay afloat and the concentration it took to cast his spell, he made one slip, one Yu almost missed had it not been for the glimmer of green as it fell from his paw.

          The emerald he'd used to siphon Tiruviel's life force away.

          Nyverak noticed immediately, folding his wings to his sides and dropping after the wayward gemstone. Yalathas was not far behind him. Even after taking the hit from the dragon's spell, he did not let that stop him.

          Yvir, however, beat them both, grabbing the emerald midair and just barely getting out of the way in time as Nyverak fell upon him, flying up as the dragon plunged to the lake. The black dragon craned his sinewy neck around and a line of acid shot from his mouth, flailing his head wildly in an effort to hit both of them at once, wings fanned out at his sides.

          He missed, and in the time it took for the dragon to gather the wind he needed to fly back up, Yvir threw the stone Yalathas' way. Without hesitation, and with only the dove grey light of the predawn stillness as a choir, the paladin gave a mighty swing of his sword when the gem came to hover beside him and watched as it shattered in two.

          At once, light erupted from the falling, broken pieces, sailing away from the wreckage and back to the bridge. At the same time, Ylvaria held up her holy symbol and began to chant, unknown runes etching themselves in fire at her feet as she drew magic towards her. The same runes appeared around Tiruviel's lifeless form, casting her body in ruddy red light that promised hope.

          Except the light did not travel to her body, as Yu had expected. Instead, it twisted and flew to the broken gates they took shelter in, falling upon the crowd like a mist of warm, ghostly light.     Something shown at Yu's feet, something that had not been shining before, and he looked down at once. It was there, hidden beneath a pile of loose rubble that he quickly kicked away, and when at last it was freed, he dropped to a knee.

          The diamond he thought he had lost glimmered at him with pale, snowy light, flickering across his face as he picked it up with a careful hand. But it felt different now. It felt warm, strong, bursting with vitality and brimming with something new.

          Something _alive_.

          And all around him, his friends were upending their own glowing jewels from their pockets, staring down in awe, in wonder, shocked but amazed, hardly daring to breath.

          With a quiet, reverential whisper, Yu spoke, "Tiruviel?"

          And the gemstone in his had flared like fire, a voice speaking back, _'Have no fear, little one. This was always meant to be, and now I can do more than I ever could before! Now take this last lesson I give you! Though stifled, the fire inside your soul burns strong! A spark will awaken it, but you must remember how to incite that spark yourself when the time comes! Take this feeling, learn it well, and you will never have to know fear again!'_

          The light seemed to reach into his very soul, mingling with the chords of his blood and thrumming in time to his heartbeat, fire and sun and _power_. A spark had been gifted, dropping into his being like pebble in a pond, and a bonfire was lit in response. A bonfire that was _familiar_ , and the white light that burned around him, as wild as any blaze, began to shimmer and become _blue_.

          Only one other time he could recall this feeling. Only _one other time . . ._

          Inside him, Izanagi-no-Okami opened his eyes.

          " _Persona._ "

          And the light shattered and took another form, a proud, if transparent figure garbed in white and wielding a double-edged sword, its grip carved to resemble a golden sunburst. All around, others joined him, familiar shapes that never made him feel more hopeful, more _alive_.

          No command needed to be spoken. As one, the eight persona shot out into the sky, weapons bare at their sides as they raced towards Nyverak. The dragon panicked, a blast of cold erupting from his paws, but it did not deter them.

          Another mind touched his own, and he welcomed it wholly as Rise began to speak, 'Alright you guys, the Champions have already done some damage, but some more work needs to be done before this thing goes down.'

          'Way ahead of you,' Yosuke replied, speaking for all the I.T as their persona descended on the dragon.

          'Quickly!' he shouted through their reformed link. While strong now, he could already feel the fire Tiruviel had given them start to wither, becoming embers the longer they stood there, 'We don't have a whole lot of time!'

          'Then we'll leave this to you, partner! Take that thing down!'

          The dragon easily dwarfed them, bees to a massive bear, but they didn't need size to cause damage. As one, his friends persona all leapt upon him, grabbing limbs and spines and holding on tightly as the dragon thrashed in the air, twisting like a mad bull to shake them off. But that was all he needed.

          With Tiruviel's life lending strength to his own, he channeled all his power into Izanagi as the great persona brought his blade down on the dragon's head, "Megidolaon."

          White flashed in the sky and behind his eyes, the world fading away into colorless nothingness as all his focus fell on the sensation of steel grinding through bone shooting up his arm, a faint bloom of liquid warmth splashing along the underside of his hands, and too late he remembered that what they were fighting was far, far different from a shadow.

          Then it was over, and he awoke to find himself laying on his back, disoriented and very, very weak. The gem in his hand lay cracked in tiny, splintered pieces, impossible to mend, and Tiruviel's presence was gone. He felt cold.

          Above him, the rain softened as the clouds began to break, and the long night gave way to morning with the light of the rising sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PER-SO-NA!!!! GET _WRECKED_!
> 
> Almost done, guys. Hope you're looking forward to the wrap party! ;D
> 
> Fuck, I am tired.


	32. Aftershocks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, remember the last stupidly long chapter I made a while back where my fingers died?
> 
> How about another?
> 
> :D

          The events following Nyverak's downfall Yu could only remember in pieces, mostly to do with the fact that he had passed out soon after. As such, most of what later occurred had to be retold to him.

          The city was safe, was the most important thing. The elementals had been driven out, and while their had been losses, they weren't gratuitously overwhelming. However . . . there was one loss that shook the city to it's core.

          Tiruviel had not survived. To the shock of many, not only had her soul disappeared, but her body as well, vanished with the fading night. Not even Ylvaria could find her, her prayers going unanswered, a silence that unnerved many.

          He felt no small amount of regret for her loss, and no small amount of guilt for the part he had played in her demise. Perhaps it was foolish, but it was not something he could help. Maybe that was why the victory he should have been rejoicing over felt hollow, why his achievement in summoning his persona in full fell short.

          Tiruviel had helped him back on the bridge, he realized that now. She'd helped them all find the spark they needed to summon their powers, at the cost of her life. It made him sad to think that the dragon's voice in his head would be the last he would ever hear from her, of her wisdom.

          He still had the fractured pieces of the diamond she had given him, long ago. He didn't know if it could ever be repaired, but it was nice to have a memento.

          "Care for some company?"

          He looked up, tearing his gaze away from staring sightlessly at the lake to find Yalathas leaning against the column just before the balcony he sat in. The paladin was out of his armor, a dark shirt and vest with dove white trimmings and comfortable leather shoes, and his silver eyes were glazed with sympathy as he offered a kind smile, "If not, I understand."

          "No," he replied, perhaps a little too quickly. He looked away again, "I could probably do with some company, actually."

          He could hear cloth rustle against stone as the other man sat down, voice hushed with concern, "How are you feeling?"

          "Better," Yu replied. It had been roughly two days since the attack, most of which had passed him by while he was unconscious. And after he'd awoken, sleep had not come easily, "I didn't think summoning my persona would be that draining. It never was before."

          "You summoned it with nothing but your own force of will into the material plane. To be honest, I doubt many would be capable of such a feat at all, not without sacrificing their lives in the process," Yalathas' eyes drifted to the lake as well, a note of wonder entering his tone, "I've never seen anything quite like it, what you and your friends did. It was very impressive."

          Yu shrugged.

          "You know . . ." Yalathas continued, "The knights have been talking about you, and stories have circulated amongst the citizens about what you did. They think you summoned archons to fight for us. They all want to know who you are."

          Yu sighed, feeling one too thrilled at the prospect of being thrust in the limelight, "Well, so much for keeping our identity secret."

          He imagined the paladin furrowing his brow as he inquired, "I know much has happened since yesterday, but can you tell me what is bothering you? What I can do to perhaps help?"

          A sad, melancholy note entered his voice, "Is it Tiruviel?"

          "It's . . . " Yu sighed again, shoulders sagging. He was being unfair. Yalathas was undoubtedly hurting worse over the golden dragon's death, for they had been friends far longer than he had been, "It's not just that . . ."

          He looked at the other man, tucking his hands together out of habit as he tore over what to say. Because there _was_ another thing that was bothering him, one that might seem stupid to the paladin. But the earnestness in the other's eye's made him relent, and he bowed his head, "You know, my persona is basically an extension of myself. To some extent, I can feel what it feels. Whenever we fought shadows, we could feel the fight ourselves. If our personas were hurt, we would hurt. If they landed a blow on an enemy, we would feel it too."

          "Yes?"

          "And . . ." Yu gnawed at his lip, then took a breath and let the words tumble free, "And last night, my persona was the one who killed Nyverak."

           That was all he needed to say, because then Yalathas was humming in understanding, realization undoubtedly clicking for him as he softly spoke, "You feel guilty."

          "I know I shouldn't, at least not as badly as I do . . ." Yu said, unable to tear his eyes from the ground. Ever since waking, it had been a memory that plagued him. And his friends, though wonderful, wouldn't understand, because they hadn't experienced it. The sensation of bone grinding beneath his fingers, of hot blood scoring his palms. Sometimes, he could almost imagine that if he ran his hands together, they would come away wet and red, "Because I know I would have done the same thing if it would have saved Tiruviel. But . . ."

          "Maybe you didn't save Tiruviel . . ." Yalathas interrupted, not unkindly even if his voice was strained, "But you did save many, many others who would have suffered under that dragon's cruelty had he escaped, and avenged thousands more besides. I know it does little to ease the ache of guilt, but never doubt that you did the right thing, Yu."

          _Was it?_ he wanted to ask, but he knew better. Yalathas was a paladin, a man dedicated to destroying evil wherever it may be. Of course he would not feel as conflicted over their deaths.

          Instead, he looked back out to the lake and asked, "So, what will happen now?"

          "Now?" Yalathas echoed, following his gaze, "Now, we need to find answers. We have to discover what that woman and her . . . _companions_ , are after, and what the Night of No Stars is."

          Yu nodded, understanding. Of course, that was the most logical course of action.

          "But first . . ." he felt Yalathas give him a gentle, but urging nudge, and when he looked, the man had a sly half-smile on his face, eyes sparkling conspiratorially, "I happen to know a pair of cats who just so happened to have a litter not that long ago. Do you want to come with me to check on them?"

          For the first time upon waking, Yu smiled in true, sitting up a little straighter as he replied in gratitude, "I . . . think I'd like that a lot."

(*)

          Yosuke huffed and dropped onto his back, ignoring the sweat clinging to his skin as he stared up into the sky. His daggers lay at his sides, forgotten for the time being as he allowed himself a break. The tiny, open bailey was empty of people, and a nice place away from prying eyes as he got to work. Ever since that terrible night's end, he'd thrown himself into training on his own. His friends kept telling him to stop, to quit pushing himself so soon after summoning his persona, but they didn't understand!

          It wasn't about trying to be a bigger badass than before. It wasn't about trying to look cool when everyone else was down for the count.

          It was about getting better so he could be _stronger_.

          How many people could they have saved if they'd been able to summon their personas sooner? How many more if they didn't _pass out_ every time they did so?

          Yosuke knew what to do now to bring Takehaya Susano-o to the surface again, and he was determined to learn how to wield him as fluidly as he'd done in the tv world no matter how exhausted it made him. He was _never_ going to sit by helplessly again, not when innocent people were threatened. Not when his friends were threatened, where dragons could snatch them up with nothing standing in their way.

          He was _never_ going to be weak again. Even if the others didn't understand.

          He threw an arm over his face, tired but refusing to stop. He had to keep going.

          That was when he heard a hiss, and something suddenly landed on his chest, drawing out a startled (and totally not girly) scream.

          He jolted upright, a flash of viridian green rolling into his lap with a disgruntled squeak. With a start, he saw that Aife was the one who'd leapt on him, the tiny fae rolling back onto his feet and curling up in his lap. Yosuke quirked an eyebrow, but the little creature wasn't going to be giving him any answers.

          "So, are you planning on taking a break anytime soon, or do you plan to do this until you pass out?"

          Yosuke rolled his eyes, looking up to where a certain sylph was hovering, "What does it look like?"

          "Lots of sweating, if you want me to be honest," was the other's smartass reply.

          Yosuke rolled his eyes again and turned to stare at a very interesting crack in the floor where tuft of grass was growing. When he'd first met Yvir, it had been _strange_. Stranger than even meeting his Shadow, in some ways. But he hadn't had a whole lot of time to talk with him since, and right now, he really didn't' feel up to doing some stupid, story-book bonding.

          Yvir seemed to think otherwise, air brushing over his side as the man came to sit beside him, voice a tad softer, "You know, I'm all for self-improvement, but don't you think you're trying a bit too much too soon? You still need time to recover-"

          "And what's sitting on my ass going to accomplish?!" he didn't mean to snap, not really, but he was just so agitated for reasons he couldn't even adequately explain, and they wanted something to lash out at, "If we'd been able to do this from the beginning, we could have stopped that dragon a whole lot sooner, and things would have been fine! How can everyone keep telling me to relax when I still can't control my persona like I should?!"

          Yvir didn't say anything at first, and he felt a smidge of guilt for yelling.

          Then, "You know, I tried to rush results once. Let me tell you, it didn't work out too well for me."

          Yosuke side-eyed him, curiosity bubbling up even though he tried to quell it. But the sylph had already seen, and continued speaking, "It was years ago, back in Dresden and when the war was still going on. There was a surprise attack from within the fortress that caused a lot of casualties, many of which could have been prevented if we hadn't wasted our time hunting a false lead. A lead that _I_ had told everyone to follow."

          Whether he wished it or not, Yvir now had Yosuke's full attention.

          The sylph idly plucked up some loose grit from the floor, dropping them in his palm one by one as he talked, "There was an explosion at one of the central bastions, and I tried to quell the damage with a spell backed by my mythic. Except it went haywire. And people got hurt instead."

          Yosuke's eyes widened, losing some of his tense posture to face him more fully.

          "After that, I began to practice day and night. I practiced so much I'd forget to eat sometimes. You've felt how draining mythic can be in just a short bursts, so imagine trying to keep it active for prolonged periods of time like I tried to do?" Yvir shook his head, looking sheepish, "So when a real fight came, I collapsed. And when I woke up, Yalathas chewed me out. I'd never seen him so angry before."

          He held up his hand, the one carrying the grit, crunching them down into finer motes of dust with his opposite fingers, "The point I'm trying to make is, instead of wringing yourself dry trying to do something big, try something smaller instead."

          The brunette tilted his head, "Like what?"

          "Like instead of trying a full summon, just channel your persona's power through your body like you were doing in practice," Yvir replied, "Its a good start. And, as you get stronger, you'll be able to do more things with it. But take it from someone who learned this the hard way; you have to give it time to grow."

          With a soft exhalation of breath, the sylph gently blew the dust from his hand into the air, and Yosuke watched as the finer motes began to glimmer with golden light. They twisted and danced together in the sky, until, with a final spin, the particles rearranged their hapless order into a single, uniform creature born of dust and light. A bird, with shimmery feathers of minute particles, each as individual and defined as real bird's even if it's body was only a loose conglomerate of dust.

          "Whoa . . ." he breathed, watching as the tiny creature flitted around the courtyard, until the magic ended and it dissolved into a brown plume of earth that floated to the ground.

          " . . . you know, maybe you didn't have to do _all_ that to get me to take a break," Yosuke finally said, feeling embarrassed and unsure as to why.

          "Oh, no, I did. I know how stubborn I can be, even when I don't want to admit it," the sylph said, rising to his feet. Aife rose to his own as well, hopping to Yosuke's knee, then shoulder, then scrambling up the hem of Yvir's pant leg. He found it annoying, but the sorcerer only smiled fondly and stroked the underside of the fae's jaw, "Well, I'll leave you too it! Try not to get lost on the way back."

          "Hey, w-wait a second!" Yosuke scrambled up as well, "There's something I wanted to ask!"

          Yvir turned back, eyebrow raised but receptive, "Yes?"

          For a few seconds, Yosuke wondered if it was alright to bring it up. But at the same time, it might be crucial later. No, it _would_ be. So . . .

          "That night at the party . . ." Yosuke noticed the way Yvir's eyes flashed, the way his head tilted a bit more sharply in his direction. The sylph already knew where he was going with this, "Who was that woman? You called her Laila, I think."

          Yvir turned away, so sharply Yosuke thought he wouldn't answer him at all. He hovered there, and he saw the older man cross his arms over his chest, suddenly pensive. And when he finally did speak, it was a good deal softer than he'd grown accustomed too, reticent and sad, "She's . . . someone I used to know."

          "Bu-"

          "And it's not something I want to talk about," Yvir interjected with a raise of his hand, still not looking back. With a sigh, he dropped it and added, "Look, you're a nice kid Yosuke, but my personal problems aren't yours. I'd rather keep them separate."

          "But they aren't separate anymore!" Yosuke protested, "I don't know the history you have with her, and I won't ask you to tell me, but we need to know what she can do! What _all_ of those guys can do!"

          Yvir was silent for an entire long, sluggish minute, a minute that had Yosuke fidgeting. Then he finally, quietly, replied, ". . . Later. Now go get some sleep. You need it."

          And he left, and all Yosuke could do was watch him depart.

          _He was right,_ he thought, frowning, _At the end of it, we're both pretty damn stubborn._

(*)

          Chie didn't know a lot of things, at least not to Yu's or Yukiko's level, but she liked to believe that she knew her weaknesses well and when she had to improve upon them.

          After the battle for the city, and even after kicking that black dragon's ass, she knew she still had a lot to work on.

          Which is why she had now backed Cahira into a corner and was demanding, "I need to learn how to use mythic better!"

          Cahira cocked an eyebrow, but she her smile was only a small one, not as big as Chie had become used to, "Well, I get the reason why, but training's going to have to wait."

          "I know, I know!" Chie ammended, nodding, "There's the city, and the kings and queens, and I'm still not tip-top, I know! I just . . . wanted to let you know that when we _do_ get back to it, I need to learn that stuff."

          "And _I_ know you need to," Cahira said, sliding out of the corner Chie had pinned her in, "Just not now. We'll get there, though, I promise."

          Relief coursed through her, and inside, Haraedo-no-Okami nodded in approval. It was so nice to have her persona back, and she couldn't wait until she could use it without having to worry about taking herself down in the process.

          Chie trailed after the monk, matching her pace easily even though she knew the monk could run at speeds she couldn't even dream of achieving. With a bit more sensitivity put into it, she asked, "So . . . how's the city doing?"

          "Better, but the elementals did a lot of damage. People are frightened, scared that another attack will come from the lake that used to protect them," Cahira's face became downcast, "So many wounded and killed . . . if only we had seen this coming . . ."

          "But how could you have seen this coming? How could _anyone_?" Chie slammed her fist into her hand, scowling, "It's those guys fault! Whoever they were, they're the ones to blame for everything that happened!"

          ". . . Yeah. You're right . . ." Cahira's quiet agreement was only half-hearted, face as cool as a still pond. For all the things they shared, Cahira seemed to have mastered a certain control of her emotions that Chie sometimes envied.

          Chie gnawed at her lip, eyes glancing from the ceiling to the floor to the walls before darting back to Cahira, unsure if she should ask the question that really plagued her.

          But like every great warrior and master, Cahira saw right through her, "You're wondering how I know Tabris, aren't you?"

          "Um . . ." she looked away, cheeks flushing with heat.

          "It's okay," the woman told her, "You're not wrong to be curious."

          Chie nodded, idly twiddling her fingers together before finally blurting it out, "So . . . who is she?"

          "Tabris and I once trained together when we were both apprentices," Cahira replied, "We both lived at the same temple and trained under the same master. She was my friend."

          "What? For real?" Chie could not believe that for a second, "Then, why was she with the bad guys?!"

          At that, Cahira's face hardened and she looked down, "I don't know. Tabris chose to leave the temple years ago, and I haven't seen her since. But I never thought she would-!"

          She stopped herself, inhaling strongly before breathing out. Even so, she still looked pained, and Chie wished there was something she could do. Deeper inside, she felt a simmering anger begin to rise. Tabris had been Cahira's friend, and whatever her reasons for joining with those strangers, she was still clearly hurting her new master. And how could she do that anyway, if they'd once trained together and learned the same values and morals? Didn't that mean anything to the pale-haired woman?!

          _Obviously not . . ._ she thought bitterly, grinding her teeth together to focus on something other than her angry feelings.

          Once again, Cahira noticed, her eyes softening, "It's alright. Don't worry about me. Just focus on recovering for now."

          Chie frowned, "Sure. But when I'm better, Tabris better watch out, because I'm going to kick her butt and drag her back to you so she can apologize!"

          Cahira seemed startled by this. But also . . . she looked touched, "You'd spare her just so you can force her to apologize?"

          "Well, yeah? Maybe she's doing something stupid now, but she used to be your friend, right?" Chie thought her answer would be obvious. But maybe she had been wrong.

          Cahira smiled ruefully, "You really are a good kid, Chie. Now get back to your room, huh? Maybe open a few of those scrolls Nyras gave you."

          The last part was said with a brush more humor, and happy to play along, Chie groused in reply, "Ugh, homework . . ."

          Cahira chuckled at that, and while it wasn't as boisterous as usual, it was still genuine. And in light of what she knew now, that was all Chie could ask for.

(*)

          Yukiko laid back on her bed, the room empty save for just herself. She didn't know where the others had gone except Chie, who'd told her she'd gone off to find Cahira, and it was becoming rather lonesome.

          Even if she was tried, it felt wrong and lazy to sleep all day. But it felt like that was all she'd been doing ever since the battle ended. And the quiet afforded her a lot of time to think and reflect.

          Yukiko sighed. Reflection could be one of her worst traits, sometimes . . .

          Inside, she felt a stirring, and she smiled in the warmth Sumeo-Okami's comforting and familiar presence.

          The sound of her door opening drew her attention, and she blinked when she saw Ylvaria step through the threshold. She was dressed on comely silks of red with her hair undone and tumbling freely down her back, a lovely picture of elven beauty, and she tried not to feel too jealous.

          "How are you feeling?" was Ylvaria's habitual question, one she'd repeated a number of times on her daily visits to check up on them.

          Yukiko sat up, self-consciously running a hand through her bed-worn hair, "Fine. I don't know where anyone else is, though, so you might have to hunt around for them."

          Ylvaria shook her head as if in exasperation, but her smile was an amused one, "I told them, bed rest for at least a three days, but I suppose it's hard to ask children to stay still for more than one."

          "Well, its hard for anyone to sit still when there's work to be done," Yukiko said, shrugging. After a moment, she met Ylvaria's eyes and asked with a touch more solemnity, "Have you . . . had any luck?"

          The elf didn't need to ask to know she was talking about Tiruviel, and just the same, the sad look on her face was all the answer Yukiko needed even as the other woman spoke, "No, unfortunately. However, I don't want you to feel guilty over that. She chose you for a reason. That was her choice, the same as this silence."

          Yukiko nodded, allowing stillness to fall. She was still picking at her hair in the quiet that followed, and it was a motion the elf quickly noticed, "Having trouble? Here."

          To her immense surprise, the cleric came and sat beside her. From her sleeve, she withdrew a comb of as beautiful as she was; it was carved of nature itself, polished redwood with teeth of smooth black pearl and a sunburst crest etched into the corner with delicate care.

          "Do you trust me?"

          Yukiko stared, puzzled by the strange question, "Of course I do."

          "Then turn around," Ylvaria instructed her, much to the girl's growing bemusement. But she obeyed anyway, and with careful tenderness, Ylvaria began to run the comb through her black locks.

          Yukiko tried not to fidget. She liked and trusted the woman, she hadn't lied, but it was strange to have her do something so . . . intimate.

          "You know, in the culture of my people," Ylvaria said as she worked, "It is customary to wear our hair long in honor of our Elven Father. To be allowed to comb or braid another's hair is a sign of trust and companionship."

          Yukiko listened intently. She'd always liked learning, especially about other cultures and their traditions. She supposed it wasn't surprising Ylvaria had picked up on that.

          "That's nice," Yukiko said, folding her hands in her lap, "Do even the men follow those traditions?"

          "They do," Ylvaria replied, "And while some can be reluctant to let their guard down around another, it is still practiced often. I've always liked this tradition, but its hard to find others who agree in the outlands. Cahira's the only one who will perform it with me."  

          Well, of course. Cahira was her best friend, after all, a universal truth.

          The elf's gentle strokes came to an end, "There. Finished."

          Yukiko pursed her lips, wringing her hands once before quickly speaking out before courage fled, "Do you want me to comb yours too?"    

          It was only fair to pay her courtesy back, right? Being polite was one of the biggest lessons her mother had drilled into her.

          Ylvaria seemed to have not been expecting that, for she didn't respond right away, and Yukiko began to fear that maybe she shouldn't have said anything. Who knows what could be a slight in elven lands, unintentional thought it was.

          Then, the comb came into her view, offered by a pale hand and with a smile, "I would like that very much."

          Slowly, she took the offered comb, the wood warm beneath her hands as she turned to face Ylvaria. Her hair flowed like silk beneath the teeth, only catching on a few knots, and the repetitious motions were relaxing.

          Idly, she asked, "This is a very pretty comb. Where did you get it?"

          She hadn't expected Ylvaria's shoulders to tense, making Yukiko pause.

          " . . . it was a gift. From a long time ago." Ylvaria finally said.

          "Oh," was all she could reply with. Swallowing, she continued. What had she said wrong? It had seemed an innocent question, but maybe she'd inadvertently touched a sore spot? Oh no, that was exactly what she'd done, wasn't it?

          She didn't ask any further questions. Instead, she just brushed.

          When she was done, Ylvaria quietly collected the comb and stored it away, but even as she turned back to the door, her voice was grateful, "Than you, Yukiko. Its nice to simply relax every now and then, and remember traditions."

          "O-of course," she said. The awkward atmosphere she had accidently created with her question was still present, palpable.

          For a few moments, Ylvaria hovered in place, when she abruptly turned around and bent to a knee. Taking one of Yukiko's hands in hers, the elf looked her in the eye with a seriousness that caught Yukiko off gaurd for the third time that day and said, "From this point onward, things will change. And I suspect they will undoubtedly get worse before they get better. You and your friends will want to help, I'm sure, but there is one thing I would ask of you. A promise."

          Yukiko glanced to her right as if an answer for this sudden, strange behavior would materialize there. When nothing happened, she looked back and shakily nodded, "A-alright . . . ?"

          The cleric continued, "The enemies we will be facing will be like none you've fought before. You saw them at the gathering . . ."

          "You knew one of them," Yukiko said, almost without meaning too.

          Ylvaria winced, "Yes. Phaedra. Our two families have had bad blood between us for a long time, a war that goes back generations, but my tie to her is to a personal extent. And because of that, if ever you find yourself against her, without me or one of my friends present, there is something I want you to do."

          Ylvaria was many things, things Yukiko admired. One of the biggest was her strength in the face of adversity, her willpower in the face of loss. So when she saw the glimmer of tears in her dark eyes, Yukiko was floored.

          "Because of our history, if she should ever catch sight of your face, it will not be _you_ she sees. And because of that . . . " Ylvaria said with the utmost of gravity, " I want you to run as fast and as far as you can, and never look back. Can you promise me?"

          She really, truly meant it. And of what she'd seen that night of the horrific hybrid of woman and spider, she couldn't even imagine what she'd do to her without shuddering.

          And to be plain about it, she wouldn't stand a chance against such a foe now. So, with a nod, she truthfully swore, "I promise."

          Ylvaria looked relieved, and with one final twist for the day, she leaned up and planted a kiss on Yukiko's brow. When she pulled back, she mumbled words beneath her breath in the lyric tongue of her people, something Yukiko couldn't quiet catch. But the place the elf touched burned warmly against her skin, and when night fell hours later, she never slept more soundly.

(*)

          Kanji would walk through hell for his friends, that was a given. He'd brave as many shadows, monsters, and dragons as need be to keep them safe.

          When Takeji Zaiten had awoken inside him once more, he'd been elated, because now it meant he could fight back. It meant he could protect like he once had in the tv world.

          So imagine his frustration when, after only one measly summon, he'd passed out like a five year old on a sugar crash.

          Ugh . . .

          In the time since he'd awoken from his unwanted slumber, he'd taken to brooding over it on his own. What could he do to improve this situation now? He was so damn tried of being patient, of having to claw himself back up from square one with something that was supposed to be easy!

          Kanji gave an audible sigh, when a large hand on his back made it catch in his throat as he shot up straight, a very ungainly sound escaping instead and making him flush.

          Turning around, he snapped, "Hey, who the hell said I wanted- . . . !"

          He trailed off as Korval gave him a look that screamed 'really now?', and while the half-orc was dressed in more relaxed vestments, it didn't take away from his intimidating factor all that much. Not that he was scared of him, Kanji liked his counterpart a lot. It was just . . . the barbarian had caught him at a less than swell time.

          Quickly, Kanji turned around and went back to leaning on the table, mumbling, "Uh, sorry . . ."

          Korval didn't answer, instead pulling out a chair at the small dining table he and his friends had been using since their arrival in the castle. Once seated, the big man pulled out something Kanji couldn't quiet see and laid it out on the table.

          It was a familiar rolled up leather swath, and as Korval undid the knots holding it closed and gently pushed it open, Kanji couldn't quite stop the little gasp he gave when he saw what lay inside.

          Sewing utensils, but of a quality he had only dreamed of owning himself. Each one was solid onyx, with perfectly curled hooks, sharp, paper-thin needles, and wonderfully honed scissors with blades so sharp and thin they were transparent, and he had to _really_ try not to be grabby as he took them all in.

          Korval smirked, "Thought you'd like that."

          "Damn, where'd you get these?" Kanji asked, lightly tugging the corner of the leather swatch closer.

          "Got 'em as gifts. No guesses as to who," Korval replied. Reaching over, he lightly nudged him in the shoulder, "Go on, you can touch 'em."

          Unable to restrain himself any longer, Kanji pulled one of the needles loose and held it up. It was almost liquidly smooth under his fingers, cool and without a seam, "Whoa . . ."

          He looked at each and every one, reverently placing the ones he was done with back in their assigned places. God, he'd almost forgotten what it was like to hold these!

          Korval's surprise wasn't quite over yet, "I also brought some cloth, if you want to give that a spin."

          "No way!" was his immediate reply, head snapping around so quickly his neck popped.

          Korval chuckled, dropping a small woolen back on the table. Inside, Kanji could see a shimmer of color. Grinning hugely now, he reached over and plucked out a roll of pale green cloth, the fabric of braided hemp under his fingertips.

          "There we go!" Korval sounded satisfied, "Thought that get you out of your mood."

          Kanji's smile wavered just slightly, and he rubbed the back of his head, "Yeah, well . . . it kinda hasn't been a real good couple days, know what I'm sayin'?"

          "No, I know," the half-orc agreed, choosing a roll of velvety red fabric, "It's tough, tryin' to get mythic down."

          Kanji sighed, "Yeah, I get that. It's just . . . in the past, this stuff used to be so easy, you know? It's like someone hit a reset button and now we have to start all over again to be _good_ at anything anymore. And if we're going to be fighting those guys who crashed the party, I need to be strong enough to fight 'em."

          Korval's lips twitched into a hint of snarl, "Yeah . . . but those guys ain't your concern. _We're_ the ones who've got a bone to pick with 'em."

          Kanji glanced at him. He hadn't forgotten the heated and bloodthirsty exchange between Korval and the terrifying orc who'd called himself Grumack. He just didn't know if he should ask. It seemed . . . far too personal an issue, and Kanji knew he wouldn't anyone shoving their noses in his business like that if that were the case with him.

          Korval noticed his look, and reached over to drop a heavy hand on his head, "Hey, don't worry about that. You just keep training, get that persona of yours in top form."

          He plucked the scissors from their perch with a delicate care belying his ferocity on the battlefield, large fingers wielding them as if they were blown glass, "You'll get good again. Ya just gotta work at it until you are. Until then, I bet this is something you're still good at."

          Kanji smiled, the fabric warm under his fingers, "Yeah. I am."

          "Well, grab your weapons, warrior! Show me what you can do!"

          Kanji happily obliged him. Man, how long had it been since he last got to do something creative with his hands?

(*)

          Rise was quite happy.

          True, she and her friends had some work to do before their persona were at their beck and call like in the tv, but a first step was still a step. And with Kouzeon at her side again, she felt like she could finally do something other than dither uselessly on the sidelines with a weapon she didn't know what to do with.

          Something that could save people . . . and stop disasters.

          If only she'd had her persona sooner, then maybe . . . Tiruviel would still be with them.

          . . . alright, maybe she wasn't quite as happy as she could be.

          But with as gloomy as everyone had been lately, someone needed to put on a cheery face to help lift their spirits.

          If she could find anyone, that is.

          She'd been wandering around in their tiny corner of the castle, searching for a familiar face and having no luck, when she heard it. A tuneful, quiet song in the distance, out and away from the section she and her friends were supposed to stay in.

          Though the lyrics and language were different, Rise recognized her own voice well enough. More troubling, she heard sadness strewn within the words, and that did not sit right with her at _all_.

          She debated the potential consequences of breaking the rules for only a handful of seconds before she crossed over in search of the voice's owner.

          Rise had to backtrack several times and was nearly seen by a small group of nobles whose purpose for being there she couldn't even begin to guess, but at last she tracked the song all the way to a small, sequestered room dusty with old linens and furniture. A single window slit was the only thing that offered light, the mosaic glass pouring gold into the room and lighting up the numerous motes that hung in the still, stuffy air.

          Rhysana was sitting on a covered chair, her sad song coming to an abrupt end at the sound of the door opening, startled eyes falling on Rise. Her hood was down, the bard's moon pale skin looking significantly darker in the gloom.

          "Oh . . . Rise," Rhysana said, rising to her feet and brushing dust from her breeches, "I didn't hear you coming."

          "Sorry," Rise replied, dawdling uncertainly in the door. Rhysana had always been a sort of enigma to Rise. She always acted confident in everything she did, she was beautiful beyond compare, and her voice was the stuff of angels. Throughout their adventure, the bard had been nothing but a wellspring of cheer and comfort in their darkest days, unflappable even in the face of catastrophe. But now, in this dark, dingy space, she looked far and away from any of that. Rhysana looked older and more tired than Rise had ever seen, and her usual liveliness and motherly smiles were gone. It threw Rise for a loop on what to say, "I just . . . wanted to check to see if you were okay."

          And that was true. Whatever the issue (though she thought she could guess), she genuinely wanted to help. Counterpart or no, Champion or no, no one deserved to be alone when they were sad.

          Rhysana smiled wanly, "I'm sorry. I haven't been by to visit, have I?"       

          No, she hadn't, and Rise had begun to worry if something had happened. And something did, even if Rise knew nothing about what.

          "No, that's . . . that's not it. You just," Rise bit her lip, looking down, "You just sounded so sad."

          Rhysana didn't reply, and Rise braved stepping inside, allowing the door to swing shut. Rise found she didn't like it, this silence. She wanted the usual Rhysana back, more strongly than she could have imagined, "I know it's . . . probably stuff you don't want to talk about . . . but I'll listen if you want. Whatever it is. You've done so much for me and my friends, there must be something I can do to help you in return."

          She heard the bard come closer, footsteps so light they only whispered over the stone. When at last she stood in front of her, Rise caught a subtle whiff of roses, and a hand on her cheek drew her face up.

          Rhysana was still smiling. But it wasn't a happy one, "I know you mean that. You're a very kind, sweet girl, Rise."

          The woman's eyes flicked to the left, something akin to guilt flashing as she dropped her hand, "I'm a bard by trade. You know that. I love to tell stories, epic, romantic, it doesn't matter to me . . . if someone asked, I'd spin them a tale they would love," she looks back down at Rise, and the sadness reflected within her eyes almost overwhelmed her, "But there's one story I will never tell, and that's my own. So please . . . leave it alone."

          Then Rhysana walked passed her, taking her roses and her sorrow with her, the door creaking open, then clicking shut.

          . . . no, no . . . Rise really wasn't as happy as she could be.

          But for everyone else's sakes . . . someone had to put on a cheery face.

(*)

          Everyone seemed to get over everything so _fast_. At least, that was what it looked like to Teddie.

          Everyone was always rushing somewhere, doing something, yelling and talking and barking orders, but no one ever seemed to slow down. And no one seemed to _remembe_ r.

          Remember that people . . . that people were _gone_. That Tiruviel was _gone_. So much was just _gone_ , and nobody seemed to care! Not even his friends seemed to care as much as he did, because they were always running off too, never sitting still, never remembering! And even when he'd ask, when he'd try to talk about it, he'd be shut down.

          Kamui-Moshiri squirmed restlessly in his heart, and though it was nice to have his persona back, it did nothing to ease the ache of what he'd experienced on the bridge that night.

          It was supposed to have been a party . . . it was supposed to be _fun_ . . .

          Then those monsters showed up . . . and everything went _wrong_.

          Teddie shuddered and buried his head between his knees, burrowing deeper under the blankets he had accosted from the other beds. No one was here, so it was fair game.

          No one was ever here, it felt like . . .

          "Oi."

          Teddie yelped, starting so hard his knee slammed against his cheek on accident, "Ouch!"

          There was a laugh, one he knew well, and the bear hung his head as he nursed the sore spot. He really didn't want this right now . . .

          But of course, Tirin would not leave him alone, hopping up on the bed like he owned the thing and crossing his legs as he peered at Teddie. He tried not to squirm under it, to let it show that the man got under his fur.

          "So!" Tirin started, smiling, "Haven't seen you anywhere lately, even though all your friends are up and about! What's up with that, cub?"

          Teddie didn't answer. He didn't know why, but unlike everyone else, he and Tirin just didn't seem to click. Tirin was always teasing him and giving him a hard time, and when he wasn't being mean, he was being elusive. And not like the way Yosuke was, because he could still tell Yosuke cared. Tirin just came off as condescending most of the time. He . . . would have _liked_ to have been friends, but at this rate . . .

          "Hey," the rogue said, this time a bit more forcefully. Fingers tapped the underside of his chin, making him wince, "Come on, eyes up."

          When Teddie didn't do as instructed, the other man sighed, "Look, wallowing around in your room all day feeling sorry for yourself is all well and good, but eventually you're going to get sick. Get some fresh air, eat some good food! You'll feel better!"

          Even when he was playing at being concerned, it sounded mean.

          As if to prove his unspoken point, Tirin added, "You can't change what happened. She's gone. You have to understand that and move on, so you can help the people who are still here."

          ". . . how can you say that?" a deep upset was flaring within him now, and he finally looked up, glaring even though tears were pearling at the corners of his eyes, "Tiruviel was our friend, how can you _say_ that?!"

          "Tiruviel was my friend, too. That doesn't change the fact that she's gone," Tirin defended, as if that somehow made what he was saying better, looking so frustratingly blasé it made Teddie want to shake him, "Now quit crying. Crying won't bring her back."

          That just made him cry more, "How come you're like this? Why do you act like it doesn't matter? What made you so _heartless?!_ "

          _That_ seemed to hit a nerve, because several expressions flitted over Tirin's face; shock, anger, frustration, and even, maybe, possibly, a tiny, tiny hint of hurt. The rogue then sharply looked away, and silence fell around them save for Teddie's soft sniffles.

          He didn't understand it. Why were they so different? Why couldn't they comprehend each other like everyone else did? He wanted to, he _wanted_ to, but it was so hard when Tirin said things like this that made him sound so _awful_!

          He didn't know if he'd ever understand . . .

          "Have you ever hated anyone?"

          The question came completely from left field, and Teddie stared, "Huh?"

          "Have you ever hated anyone?" Tirin repeated, not looking up from the floor, "A person, someone who's very name makes your blood boil?"

          Teddie knows what hate means. He's pretty sure a number of his friends hate Adachi for what he did. He knows Yosuke does. But . . . but he doesn't think _he's_ ever felt it. He's felt sad. He's felt lonely, and upset, and frightened, and maybe even angry. But hate . . . ?

          "I . . . I don't think so," he finally said, voice trembling.

          Tirin let out a soft, mirthless chuckle, "Yeah, didn't think so. But I guess that's the difference between you and me."

          Teddie continued to stare, a sad, troubled frown on his face, "Do you really hate someone?"

          "I do. More than anyone else in the world," his voice was hard as he spoke, and cold. But when the older man finally looked at him again, those blue-gray irises were unusually sincere, the hardness disappearing, "You know, cub, you're a really good-natured person. Naive and puerile . . . but good-natured. And also . . . very innocent. I'd rather keep it that way. So no more questions about my hang-ups, huh?"

          That was . . . the first time Tirin had said something genuinely nice to him before. To say Teddie was a little speechless was an understatement.

          Tirin was more than happy to do all the talking, "Anyway, sorry about what I said before. I _do_ miss her, really, even if I don't act like it. That's just . . . how I am." he laughed a little, though it didn't sound as happy as a laugh should, "I keep forgetting that while you're lucky enough to share my face, you don't really share a whole lot else with me. I guess . . . maybe you're a little lucky in that regard, too."

          Now Teddie was beginning to feel bad. So, swallowing his pride, he said, "I'm sorry too . . . about calling you heartless." Then, a little more slowly, a little more tentatively, voice falling to a whisper, he asked, "Can we be friends, even if we don't share a whole lot?"

          At that, Tirin huffed a laugh, "Really? I thought we already were friends, cub!"

          The older man reached over and hooked an arm around his neck, ruffling his hair even as Teddie whined for him to stop.

          Still . . . it was much better than being alone.

(*)

          The hallway was quiet, so quiet Naoto could easily discern the activity in the distant parts of the castle. She ignored it all, set on her destination. After a helpful suggestion from Ylvaria, of course, who gave her directions as well.

          She walked slowly, so she didn't upset the tray she carried in her hands. A cup of steaming tea sat upon it, smelling faintly of honeysuckles, a brew given to her by the aforementioned cleric.

          She found the room quickly enough, steeling herself as she made her way to the door. She was a little startled when it opened on it's own, until Korval stepped out into view. He saw her instantly, took note of the tray she carried, smiled, and politely held the door open for her.

          Trying very hard not to look at him and keep her mind on more reasonable thoughts (and ignoring the burn on her cheeks), Naoto quickly ducked inside.

          The room she found herself in was the old map room she and her friends had arrived in when they'd come to the castle. A chair had pulled up to the old oak table, it's lone occupant hunched over a large manuscript undoubtedly older than she was.

          Nyras did not turn to acknowledge her presence, instead flipping another page with a crinkle of aged paper. Taking a quiet breath, Yamato Sumeragi a comforting presence in the back of her mind, Naoto stepped forward and gently placed the tray on the table beside her. Over the cloaked ranger's shoulder, she caught a glimpse of the page Nyras was reading, running with words she could not understand. They were written in red ink so dark it was near black, glossy in the heady candlelight, and something about the unknown scrawl made Naoto highly uncomfortable.

          Instead, she focused her eyes on the back of Nyras' head, "Ylvaria-san told me you haven't left this room in nearly two days."

          "Mm," was the only reply she got.

          She narrowed her eyes, but had expected such an answer. When she was neck deep in an investigation, it took much to pry her away from her work. Rise had been stalwartly efficient in breaking that habit, and thought that maybe . . . she could try to do the same with her counterpart.

          Or, at least, lighten the load.

          So, after a breath, she got right to it, "I know it has only been a few days since the attack, but I thought perhaps I might help you with your search, Nyras-san. Finding answers for this 'Night of No Stars' will be difficult. The more hands we have researching the subject, the more likely we are to find a clue."

          For the first time, Nyras glanced her way, "The Night of No Stars?"

          She sounded genuinely puzzled, which in turn confused Naoto, "Yes? The calamity our attackers spoke of. Were you not researching it?"

          "I . . ." Nyras looked away again, eyes falling to the page but not reading, "No. I was not."

          Now she was really perplexed, "What? Then, if not that, what?"

          Nyras' jaw tightened, a hard frown eking the corners of her mouth down, "A personal hunt of mine."

          In Naoto's mind, she recalled fangs and fire, eyes that burned like brimstone and horns as black as pitch. She was no fool. She realized full and well that Nyras and that . . . _beast_ , had history. What sort of history, well . . .

          _How's mommy and daddy?_

          The words made her shudder even now.

          "Astaroth," she said, not a question but a statement.

          Nyras' hand clenched into a fist, eyes flashing with a hatred so severe that, if Naoto was being honest, slightly scared her.

          "Yes," the woman hissed, a snarl edging through her usually collected exterior.

          They sat in silence for a while, Nyras seething in her seat as Naoto looked on uncertainly, honestly lost on what to do. Until her eyes fell on the tea cup.

          Slowly, she nudged the tray a little closer to the woman, saying, "Perhaps . . . a drink might help?"

          Nyras looked at it, then her, then back to it. But slowly, the fury in her eyes abated, until at last, with a breathy sigh, she reached over and picked it up. She took a sip, savoring it for a few moments, then nodded, "Jasmine. Ylvaria told you to make that, didn't she?"

          Naoto nodded, "To an extent. It's a decent natural relaxant, and helps soothe anxiety. I've used it myself from time to time . . . back home."

          "Your favorite?"

          She gave a wry smile at that, "Yes, it is. And I take it it's yours as well?"

          "You've already answered," Nyras replied, a hint of a smile, but a smile all the same, tweaking at her lips.

          Naoto glanced at the heavy tome resting on the table, "You know . . . Rise is always reminding me to take breaks during my cases. 'Your mind's only as healthy as your body', is what she tells me."

          To her dismay, Nyras' smile faded, "Rhysana is always telling me the same. And . . . I appreciate your concern. But this . . . this is far too important to me."

          "Then-"

          "And I do not want your help," the ranger cut her off before she could speak, tone curt, "As I said, this is a _personal_ hunt. And it shall be done, personally."

          Nyras set her cup down, turning back to her book with a renewed intensity burning in her eyes, "Now please leave."

          Her tone was one of absolutes. There was no swaying her from this path now, Naoto knew. Still, her heart weighed a little heavier as she slowly took a step back and ambled to the door, the iron-wrought handle cold beneath her fingers when she clutched it.

          "Naoto?"

          She looked back, questioning. Nyras did not turn around, gaze fixated on the book . . . but her voice was soft and sincere, "Thank you for the tea."

          Even if the ranger didn't see it as she opened to the door to leave, Naoto nodded all the same, "You're welcome."

(*)

          She could smell the smoke before she saw it, tasting of ash, acrid on her tongue. Her retinue halted at the top of the hillock, the smooth stone path before them twining for some miles until it reached the city still far distant. Great plumes of smoke drifted from the dark towers like the banners of a royal house, staining the crystal sky with sooty lines of black, and the shadow of the castle loomed long upon the lake. She frowned as her pale gelding whickered nervously, hooves stomping along the ground. This was not what she was supposed to find.

          Beside her, in the wagon wrought of cold iron and steel, a face pressed against the thin slot that allowed his only light, grin gleaming white in the shadows of his prison, "Oh, looks like we just missed the party. Shame, it would have been a break from all this dull scenery."

          One of the wagon's guards slammed his mailed fist against the hull, barking, "Quiet you, unless you want me to cut out your tongue!"

          "Stop, Ser Tevran," the woman said, glancing sharply his way, "He is our prisoner, but he will not be treated cruelly, do you understand?"

          The man, mollified, bowed his head, even if he did still cast the prisoner a dark look, "Yes, My Lady. As you say."

          Inside the wagon, the prisoner snorted, but sat back into the confines of his cage. As she turned to face the burning city, her eyes met his for just a moment, amber gold to hellish red. His eyes seemed to smile, even though she could not see his face, and a familiar swell of sorrow rose up within her.

          But then their connection broke, her gaze finding the city again, and she urged her retinue on.

          She had a royal delegation to meet.

          More importantly, she had family.

          _I'll see you soon, brother._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder how many people think I'm taking drugs to get these out so fast. :/
> 
> Also, who dat?
> 
> One more to go, guys.


	33. End of the Beginning

          "So, what can we expect?" Yu asked as he tried to keep pace with Yalathas.

          The paladin didn't so much as glance at him as he turned another corner, "You can expect a lot of yelling and a lot of disagreeing, enough to drive you insane."     

          Beside him, Yosuke huffed, "Great."

          "Just be polite and respectful. Remember, you're talking with kings and queens. They'll expect fealty from you," Yalathas informed them.

          It had been a full week since the attack, an attack many were calling 'The Battle of the Broken Bridge', and it had spread through the halls since then that Yu and his friends were a thing. Maybe not that they were the counterparts to their Champions, but ones who had pulled of something incredible, and that was all the fuel the citizens needed.

          As such, it had been inevitable it would reach the other kings and queens ears, and they had immediately called for their presence as well as that of the Champions for this meeting to decide their next course of action.

          To say Yu was nervous was a bit of an understatement. The silver brocade he wore was hot as well, and he was constantly fiddling with the gilded sleeves to distract himself from what was to come. Rhysana had been adamant they dress nicely, even if it was uncomfortable.

          The private war room Queen Edda had summoned them too was nearly dead center in the castle, with huge double doors of heavy bronze emblazoned with a dragon in flight. A golden one, Yu noticed, and after that he tried not to stare at it too hard. Two long cloth banners of blue were draped along the columns girding the door in place, and twin braziers of blackened steel were set below them, burning bright and hot to let others know that a council was in session. From beyond the plated doors, voices echoed through, loud and argumentative.

          The Chamber of Andras, they called it, in honor of a king Yu did not know.

          The guards stationed there saluted once before clacking the butt of their glaives against the stone, and the doors slowly ground open. Yalathas carried on unperturbed, and after a quick, reassuring nod to his friends, Yu followed him inside.

          The war room was a huge, circular room forty feet in length, with a thirty foot long table at it's heart. The oak wood was ancient, but the varnish gleamed strongly in the light of the torches affixed to the walls, their flickering blue flames obviously magical in origin. The surface of the table itself was grooved, sloping inward to create the illusion that the floor was sinking, and richly painted to resemble an ornate map of the continent of Andalar. There were pitted divots running blue to mark rivers, molded rises in the wood in place of mountains, and realistically painted figurines of the castles of the other seven kingdoms. High cushioned seats were raised around the entirety of the table, each king and queen sitting apart with their banners lifted behind them, in heated discourse with one another. The rest of the Champion stood at the fore, and at the sound of the great doors opening, the entire chamber fell silent to watch.

          "Ah, so these are the children," King Friedrich nodded, appraising them through wrinkled eyes, "Young indeed, and with such a curious resemblance to our own Champions."

          "It is a sign, my King," Queen Gisela waxed, holding her husband's arm and staring wide-eyed, "It must be!"

          "Are you certain?" Queen Amalia commented, lips pursed into a small, frumpy pout, hands fisted into the green silks of her skirt.

          "I believe we can trust the Champions judgment," the old, wizened Queen Ida said, voice creaking with age in time to her bones as she leaned over, curiosity bright in her aged eyes, "Tell us, younglings, of what magic did you use to strike down the dragon Nyverak?"

          All the kings and queens tilted their heads in very obvious interest, and for a moment, Yu floundered for what to say. The real story was too long to explain now, but how could he shorten it down in terms they'd understand?

          Then, with a bolt of lightning realization, he knew what to use, "Mythic."

          Several murmurs rose up around the hall, Queen Ida nodding in slow, slow cadence, "For true? Such powerful souls, indeed, to generate such a tremendous amount."

          Yu licked his lips. While true there persona's were powerful, it would not have been possible for he and his friends to summon them had it not been for the sacrifice of another, and he wanted these kings and queens to know that, "With respect, Your Majesty . . . Tiruviel helped us that night. At the cost of her life."

          "And she will be honored, in time," Queen Edda spoke out. There were dark rings under her eyes, but she held her head high despite her clear exhaustion, "But now, we must find a solution to this new problem. And I believe-"

          "For the last time!" King Meinrad interjected sharply, snapping an irate hand out, "Your proposal cannot be maintained! Our armies are needed to defend our own homelands, and an exalted march is simply not feasible!"

          "And where would our unified armies even go?" King Stephen barked, gaunt face near skeletal in the light, "This is no World Wound we can simply march on. We do not know the nature of this phenomenon, nor do we know its source. We are blind!"

          "Then we must hunt for its source!" Queen Edda snapped, her patience thin, "Sitting idly will only worsen our chances! Surely, you must see this will not stop here!"

          Prince Roland crossed his arms, his look not without sympathy, "No, it will not. But without an adequate idea of what is to occur, we cannot march blindly. And that is not all. The Naedarish still harass the coast, of which my kingdom is a vanguard. I know you grieve for your people and the dragon Tiruviel, and I will gladly offer men to aid you in rebuilding, but I must return to defend my home."

          "Bah, feckless, the lot of you!" King Borris spat, waving an irate hand at the gathering, "Once, our kingdoms stood strong against hordes that beggared belief! Would that I could, but I would gladly take up my hammer again and take this fight to the ones responsible for this mess!"

          "Would you now?" King Meinrad snorted derisively, "Well, unless you have gained some sudden knowledge as to their whereabouts, I would hear it happily!"

          "Knowledge," the hall fell silent when Queen Ida spoke, a queer hush as sudden as a candle's light snuffed by a puff of air. The old woman leaned against her staff, her smile toothless but eyes twinkling with something far more than just humor, "Knowledge is something few truly grasp the importance of. Oh yes, there is knowing how to steer a horse, to wield a sword in your hand, to lead an army into battle. But true knowledge, the sort that can turn the tides of those battles, the same sort our enemies have, _that_ is what we need. You ask the question: where is our enemy? How may I destroy them? I ask a different one; what is the Night of No Stars? How may it be stopped? Those are the ones we truly should be asking."

          The rest of the court shifted where they stood, until Queen Edda's voice rose in the silence, "There may be something. Before the Assembly, Tiruviel and I, along with the Champions, searched high and low for an explanation for the phenomenon that had been happening throughout my kingdom. And while what we found was vague at best, Lord Yvir suggested an alternative."

          The sylph nodded, stepping forward, not cowed by the curious eyes that fell on him, "I did, and it still stands, Your Majesty."

          "And what was this suggestion," King Friedrich asked, peering over his spectacles, "Pray, let us hear it."

          "An expedition into the Green Wood," Yvir explained, standing straight and proud, "Where my mother lives. She might have the answers we need."

          Yu gave a quick, puzzled glance in Yosuke's direction, the brunette looking even more confused, brow pinched so tight they looked almost as one. But the rest of hall . . . they did not look confused. They looked knowing, and also very uneasy as they traded glances with one another.

          Then, Queen Ida chuckled, "Ah, and there it is. What we seek is not the work of armies or kings, my royal men and women. This is the work of _Champions_. And, mayhaps, even a few apprentices."

          Her twinkling eyes flicked to him, filled with a knowing that left him uncomfortable. He wondered who this queen was, truly, and how she had come to gain such a look.

          "Well, I've certainly heard of worse compromises," Queen Elena commented in her sweet, soft voice, smiling up to her husband, "Don't you think, my brave heart?"

          King Adalbert grunted, but his nod was plain for all to see, "Worse, yes. But as for _wise_ , well, that we will have to see."

          "Well?" Queen Edda addressed the Champions, "Will you do this for us, and find the answers we seek?"

          Yalathas drew his sword, the blade gleaming azure in the light of the torches as he fell to a knee, "We will, Your Majesty. In the name of Irun, I swear it to you."

          One by one, the rest of Champions kneeled as well, vows ringing solemn and true against the ancient stone of the chamber. The lights flickered, casting strange shadows along the walls, and it felt as if something was watching them, something unseen.

          So perhaps that was what made him so jumpy when the bronze doors behind them suddenly opened. Yu wheeled around with the rest of his companions, staring as a small procession of well-armed guards in shiny, gleaming breastplates walked inside in uniform lines.

          "Ah, he's arrived," he heard Queen Edda say, tone sour with dislike.

          There wasn't time for him to question why, because that was when he saw who was leading the procession.

          A young woman stood at the head, robes of rouge samite flowing down her body, gilded with stitched whorls of gold. A choker of beaten silver was around her neck and shoulders, its several shiny plates divided by raised lines of braided metal. On each was embedded a dark topaz, the gems burnt black in the light of the torch flames yet shimmering with unknown power. A symbol hung at her waist, a hollow circlet of silver with a blade and a quill crossed together, and immediately knew she was a cleric of some sort.

          But more interesting was her face. Long, brown hair was coiled beneath her head in an elegant bun held in place by a hair net made of silver threads so fine they resembled spider silk. Dark red pearls were looped to every place the threads would cross, and it looked as if droplets of blood had been strewn through the woman's hair. Her face was petite and heart-shaped, her brown eyes appearing huge on her fair face. But they were warm as well, a smile breaking across her face like a dawn when her eyes found something behind him.

          "Brother," she said, in a voice that was familiar and unfamiliar at the same time but unquestionably touched with joy.

          That was when Yalathas strode past him to stand before the woman, and when Yu saw the softness in his gaze, the happiness in his eyes, and heard that single, spoken word, it hit him immediately.

          "Natalia."

          _Nanako . . ._

          Behind the pair, the soldiers slipped aside as two massive, heavily armored men pushed forward, dragging another figure between them.

          He was slender and pale, dressed in prison garb that was dirty, frayed, and smelly, with manacles of beaten iron clapped around his wrists and ankles. But even so, he was still walked tall and proud, refusing to be weak before this assemblage of kings. Small horns crowned the dark, unkempt locks of hair, eyes as bright and red as a newly blooded sword darting from one face to the next with almost lazy boredom. Something slithered behind him, a black, leathery tail tipped with a hook of barbed flesh flicking into view before vanishing again.

          But his face had Yu's eyes. His face, and the cruel, irreverent smile that brought glistening fangs into view, an expression that sent a cold, cold chill down his spine. He felt Yosuke grasp his arm, fingers clasping tight with bruising strength, trembling not from fear, but from _rage_.

          The not-stranger noticed, and the man wearing Adachi's face grinned even wider, "Well . . . looks like this is one hell of a party I've just been invited too."

(*)

          Far away, a door stood.

          Chains wrapped it's exterior, steel and diamond and silver and iron and many, many others that webbed it closed to the outside world.

          A woman stood before it, and beside her, a dragon with scales of gold.

          "This is . . . problematic," the woman said, whisking a strand of ebony hair out of her face.

          The other nodded, "Indeed. I fear even the Champions will not be enough now, for all their power."

          "Don't underestimate them," the woman chided, emerald eyes flashing warningly, "They've won against impossible odds before, and they will again."

          The dragon's eyes glimmered amusedly, "You hold much faith in them. It shames me, truly."

          "Of course I have faith," the woman replied blithely, turning back to the door, "They stopped my other half, after all."

          The door creaked, and both tensed.

          After a moment of breathless anticipation, the dragon narrowed her eyes, "What shall we do?"

          " _I_ am going to find this door's erstwhile guardians," the woman said, " _You_ are going to guard it until I do."

          The dragon scoffed, "There is little to guard it against except itself. Surely I can do more!"

          The other sighed, "Before, maybe. Now, not so much. You came here to help. Here's helping."

          The dragon rolled her eyes, but knew better than to argue with this one, "And what of the Champions and their new wards? Do you plan to keep them in the dark?"

          "Unfortunately, the rules say I cannot meddle in the affairs of the Material Plane unless sought for advice or for a needed divine intervention. But I don't think it's needed. They're already on the right path," the woman turned away, stepping out into the plain, stark whiteness around them.

          The dragon's gaze followed her, "When do you suppose to return?"

          "Who knows," the other replied truthfully. Lying even sweetly never suited her tastes, "But I will return. Good luck, Tiruviel."

          "And to you, goddess."

          The woman vanished with no fanfare, and the dragon was left alone. Slowly, her gaze shifted to the large, ominous device that had been left to her care, "Let us both pray we find salvation soon."

          The door creaked once more, chains groaning, and the darkness beyond stirred.

_~To Be Continued~_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoooly shiiiit.
> 
> We're done. We've finished the first arc! My god, I thought this would never make it off the ground, or even get the reception it did! Thank you all so much for embarking on this journey with me! And don't worry, there's still plenty more to come! ;)
> 
> With that said, it may be a while, as there are other projects I am planning on taking priority now. But have no fear! This shall return, in a place where the grass is just a little greener. :)


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